October 1898
Cannon, George Q. "President George Q. Cannon's Remarks". The Deseret Weekly. October 15, 1898. pg. 547.
"Sixty-Ninth Semi-Annual Conference". The Deseret Weekly. October 15, 1898. pg. 561-565.
Sixty-Ninth Semi-Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (1898). Report of Discourses. Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret News Company.
Taylor, John W. "Elder John W. Taylor's Sermon". The Deseret Weekly. October 15, 1898. pg. 545-547.
SIXTY-NINTH SEMI-ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. FIRST DAY.
PRESIDENT LORENZO SNOW
OPENING REMARKS
PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON
Condition of missionary fields—Preparation for the ministry
ELDER MATTHIAS F. COWLEY
Guidance of the Holy Spirit—Perpetuity of the Church
2 p. m.
ELDER ANTHON H. LUND
Missionary work In the Orient—Opposition encountered
ELDER MARRINER W. MERRILL
An occasion for self-scrutiny—The labor committed to the Saints by the Lord
ELDER JONATHAN G. KIMBALL
An ambition that is not worldly—A great Missionary responsibility
ELDER GEORGE REYNOLDS
This is God's work—Human weaknesses
SECOND DAY
PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH
The right of the Saints to participate in affairs of the Church
Elder John W. Taylor
SERMON
President George Q. Cannon
Remarks
2 p. m.
PRESIDENT F. D. RICHARDS
Self-support—President Woodruff's last addresses
ELDER HEBER J. GRANT
Necessity for Faith and Courage—Example of Nephi
ELDER GEORGE TEASDALE
Promises of God—Restoration of the Priesthood
THIRD DAY
ELDER JOHN HENRY SMITH
Benefits of Conference—Instruction of the youth
ELDER FRANCIS M. LYMAN
Organization of the Church in harmony with the will of God
ELDER BRIGHAM YOUNG, JR.
Instructions should embrace temporal as well as spiritual subjects
2 p. m.
Solemn Assembly
ELDER RUDGER CLAWSON
PRESIDENT LORENZO SNOW
A serious ordeal—A godlike resolve—The Saints increasing In strength
DESERET SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION
First Assistant General Superintendent George Goddard
Treasurer George Reynolds
Elder Heber J. Grant
General Superintendent George Q. Cannon
Second Assistant Karl G. Maeser
Elder Joseph W. Summerhays
Elder Joseph M. Tanner
First Assistant Superintendent George Goddard
"Sixty-Ninth Semi-Annual Conference". The Deseret Weekly. October 15, 1898. pg. 561-565.
Sixty-Ninth Semi-Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (1898). Report of Discourses. Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret News Company.
Taylor, John W. "Elder John W. Taylor's Sermon". The Deseret Weekly. October 15, 1898. pg. 545-547.
SIXTY-NINTH SEMI-ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. FIRST DAY.
PRESIDENT LORENZO SNOW
OPENING REMARKS
PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON
Condition of missionary fields—Preparation for the ministry
ELDER MATTHIAS F. COWLEY
Guidance of the Holy Spirit—Perpetuity of the Church
2 p. m.
ELDER ANTHON H. LUND
Missionary work In the Orient—Opposition encountered
ELDER MARRINER W. MERRILL
An occasion for self-scrutiny—The labor committed to the Saints by the Lord
ELDER JONATHAN G. KIMBALL
An ambition that is not worldly—A great Missionary responsibility
ELDER GEORGE REYNOLDS
This is God's work—Human weaknesses
SECOND DAY
PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH
The right of the Saints to participate in affairs of the Church
Elder John W. Taylor
SERMON
President George Q. Cannon
Remarks
2 p. m.
PRESIDENT F. D. RICHARDS
Self-support—President Woodruff's last addresses
ELDER HEBER J. GRANT
Necessity for Faith and Courage—Example of Nephi
ELDER GEORGE TEASDALE
Promises of God—Restoration of the Priesthood
THIRD DAY
ELDER JOHN HENRY SMITH
Benefits of Conference—Instruction of the youth
ELDER FRANCIS M. LYMAN
Organization of the Church in harmony with the will of God
ELDER BRIGHAM YOUNG, JR.
Instructions should embrace temporal as well as spiritual subjects
2 p. m.
Solemn Assembly
ELDER RUDGER CLAWSON
PRESIDENT LORENZO SNOW
A serious ordeal—A godlike resolve—The Saints increasing In strength
DESERET SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION
First Assistant General Superintendent George Goddard
Treasurer George Reynolds
Elder Heber J. Grant
General Superintendent George Q. Cannon
Second Assistant Karl G. Maeser
Elder Joseph W. Summerhays
Elder Joseph M. Tanner
First Assistant Superintendent George Goddard
SIXTY-NINTH SEMI-ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
GENERAL CONFERENCE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.
FIRST DAY.
The Sixty-ninth Semi-Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints commenced in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, at 10 a. m. on Thursday, Oct. 6, 1898, President Lorenzo Snow presiding.
Of the general authorities present on the stand there were of the First Presidency—Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith;
of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles- Franklin D. Richards, Brigham Young, Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, Marriner W. Merrill, Anthon H. Lund, Matthias F. Cowley and Abraham Owen Woodruff;
Patriarch, John Smith;
of the First Seven Presidents of Seventies— Seymour B. Young, B. H. Roberts, George Reynolds and Jonathan G. Kimball;
of the Presiding Bishopric—"William B. Preston, Robert T. Burton and John R. Winder.
Conference was called to order by President George Q. Cannon.
The choir and congregation sang the hymn which begins:
Redeemer of Israel, Our only delight.
On whom for a blessing we call;
Our shadow by day. And our pillar by night.
Our King, our Deliverer, our all.
Opening prayer by Elder John Nicholson.
The hymn which begins as follows was sung by the choir:
Zion stands with hills surrounded —
Zion, kept by power divine;
All her foes shall be confounded.
Though the world in arms combine;
Happy Zion, What a favored lot is thine.
GENERAL CONFERENCE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.
FIRST DAY.
The Sixty-ninth Semi-Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints commenced in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, at 10 a. m. on Thursday, Oct. 6, 1898, President Lorenzo Snow presiding.
Of the general authorities present on the stand there were of the First Presidency—Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith;
of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles- Franklin D. Richards, Brigham Young, Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, Marriner W. Merrill, Anthon H. Lund, Matthias F. Cowley and Abraham Owen Woodruff;
Patriarch, John Smith;
of the First Seven Presidents of Seventies— Seymour B. Young, B. H. Roberts, George Reynolds and Jonathan G. Kimball;
of the Presiding Bishopric—"William B. Preston, Robert T. Burton and John R. Winder.
Conference was called to order by President George Q. Cannon.
The choir and congregation sang the hymn which begins:
Redeemer of Israel, Our only delight.
On whom for a blessing we call;
Our shadow by day. And our pillar by night.
Our King, our Deliverer, our all.
Opening prayer by Elder John Nicholson.
The hymn which begins as follows was sung by the choir:
Zion stands with hills surrounded —
Zion, kept by power divine;
All her foes shall be confounded.
Though the world in arms combine;
Happy Zion, What a favored lot is thine.
PRESIDENT LORENZO SNOW.
OPENING REMARKS,
Brethren and sisters, at the commencement of this Semi-Annual Conference I wish to say a few words. I suppose that many of the audience now before me have come from a long distance to meet with us in this general conference; and that all have been, moved to gather here by pure motives -by a desire to improve and perfect themselves in matters that pertain to their usefulness in the kingdom of God. In order that we may not be disappointed in this, it becomes necessary that we prepare our hearts to receive and profit by the suggestions that may be made by the speakers during the progress of the Conference, which may be prompted by the Spirit of the Lord. I have thought, and still think, that our being edified does not so much depend upon the speaker as upon ourselves. When we come together on occasions like this we are entitled to receive something that will be of great importance to us in our lives. We ought to understand—and I presume that we do generally—that the work which we have come into this life lo perform cannot be done to the glory of God or to the satisfaction of ourselves merely by our own natural intelligence. We are dependent upon the Spirit of the Lord to aid us and to manifest to us from time to time what is necessary for us to accomplish under the peculiar circumstances that may surround us. It is the privilege of ]Latter-day Saints, when they get into difficulties, to have supernatural power of God, and in faith, day toy day; to secure from the circumstances which may surround us that which will be beneficial and advance us in the principles of holiness and sanctification, that we may as far as possible be like our Father. It certainly is possible to advance ourselves toward the perfections of the Almighty to a very considerable extent, to say the least. In fact, we are commanded to be perfect, even as our Father in heaven is perfect. From everything that arises, whether it be of a disagreeable nature or of a pleasant character, we should derive information and secure power to serve ourselves in the path of exaltation and glory over which we are moving. I know that we should never have been able to endure the severe trials that we have experienced during the past few years, had we not been gradually educated in times past and prepared to struggle with difficulties as we passed along.
I desire to suggest to the Latter-day Saints this morning that they should not lose sight of the object which has prompted us to gather ourselves together, that we may not return to our homes without having received lessons of encouragement to assist us in the surrounding difficulties. It is impossible for Latter-day Saints to move along in the path of glory we are now treading unless they devote themselves fully and wholly to the work and make the preparation which is absolutely necessary to meet and overcome the temptations that might otherwise overpower us. Here, I suppose, are brethren and sisters who hold important positions in the Church and have most solemn and pleasing duties to perform, and it is their ardent desire that they may be properly qualified to discharge these sacred duties satisfactorily to themselves and in a way that shall promote the interests of those they preside over.
There is something grand in the consideration of the fact that the Lord loves us with a most ardent love. The love that a woman exercises toward her offspring cannot equal the love that God exercises towards us. He never leaves us. He is always before us, and upon our right hand and our left hand. Continually He watches over us. The antediluvians rejected the Lord in their day. The message which He sent to them was of the highest importance. Upon their acceptance of the message depended their temporal and spiritual salvation. But they rejected it. When the Lord communicates to man that which pertains to his most important interests, it is a solemn and serious thing for him to reject so direct a message. But the antediluvians rejected the message, even the fullness of the Gospel, as it is now preached to us. If they had then embraced the opportunity they might have received the fullness of the Gospel and been prepared, when Christ was crucified and arose from the dead, to receive through the resurrection of their glorious bodies, free from , disease and corruption.—the most glorious object that ever man set his mind upon. Those people failed to embra.ee that opportunity; but the Lord did not fail to love them and to have regard for them, and He gave them another opportunity, although it was about two thousand five hundred , years afterwards. After Jesus was crucified, He went and visited that people and gave them, the opportunity of receiving that which they rejected when Noah proclaimed to them the principles of spiritual and temporal salvation.
Now, in some respects we differ from any other class of people. Opportunities are before us which are not before them, though at some future time they will have the same opportunities as we have received and acted upon. But our prospects are different from their prospects; things are required at our hands which are not required of them; and there could not be placed before men more glorious prospects than are placed before the Saints. No mortal man could wish anything greater or that will ultimately prove more satisfactory. Everything that pertains to perfect peace, happiness, glory and exaltation is before the Latter-day Saints. We should enjoy the spirit of this, and keep it actively before us. We should not let our prospects be darkened in the least by doing that which is not acceptable before the Lord.
Brethren and sisters, I pray that the Lord may be with us during this Conference; that He may be with those who address you, and especially with you, that you may receive and comprehend some principle or some suggestion that will be of the most sacred importance to you.
The brethren will now address you, and through the exercise of your faith you will be greatly and abundantly blessed; which may God grant, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
OPENING REMARKS,
Brethren and sisters, at the commencement of this Semi-Annual Conference I wish to say a few words. I suppose that many of the audience now before me have come from a long distance to meet with us in this general conference; and that all have been, moved to gather here by pure motives -by a desire to improve and perfect themselves in matters that pertain to their usefulness in the kingdom of God. In order that we may not be disappointed in this, it becomes necessary that we prepare our hearts to receive and profit by the suggestions that may be made by the speakers during the progress of the Conference, which may be prompted by the Spirit of the Lord. I have thought, and still think, that our being edified does not so much depend upon the speaker as upon ourselves. When we come together on occasions like this we are entitled to receive something that will be of great importance to us in our lives. We ought to understand—and I presume that we do generally—that the work which we have come into this life lo perform cannot be done to the glory of God or to the satisfaction of ourselves merely by our own natural intelligence. We are dependent upon the Spirit of the Lord to aid us and to manifest to us from time to time what is necessary for us to accomplish under the peculiar circumstances that may surround us. It is the privilege of ]Latter-day Saints, when they get into difficulties, to have supernatural power of God, and in faith, day toy day; to secure from the circumstances which may surround us that which will be beneficial and advance us in the principles of holiness and sanctification, that we may as far as possible be like our Father. It certainly is possible to advance ourselves toward the perfections of the Almighty to a very considerable extent, to say the least. In fact, we are commanded to be perfect, even as our Father in heaven is perfect. From everything that arises, whether it be of a disagreeable nature or of a pleasant character, we should derive information and secure power to serve ourselves in the path of exaltation and glory over which we are moving. I know that we should never have been able to endure the severe trials that we have experienced during the past few years, had we not been gradually educated in times past and prepared to struggle with difficulties as we passed along.
I desire to suggest to the Latter-day Saints this morning that they should not lose sight of the object which has prompted us to gather ourselves together, that we may not return to our homes without having received lessons of encouragement to assist us in the surrounding difficulties. It is impossible for Latter-day Saints to move along in the path of glory we are now treading unless they devote themselves fully and wholly to the work and make the preparation which is absolutely necessary to meet and overcome the temptations that might otherwise overpower us. Here, I suppose, are brethren and sisters who hold important positions in the Church and have most solemn and pleasing duties to perform, and it is their ardent desire that they may be properly qualified to discharge these sacred duties satisfactorily to themselves and in a way that shall promote the interests of those they preside over.
There is something grand in the consideration of the fact that the Lord loves us with a most ardent love. The love that a woman exercises toward her offspring cannot equal the love that God exercises towards us. He never leaves us. He is always before us, and upon our right hand and our left hand. Continually He watches over us. The antediluvians rejected the Lord in their day. The message which He sent to them was of the highest importance. Upon their acceptance of the message depended their temporal and spiritual salvation. But they rejected it. When the Lord communicates to man that which pertains to his most important interests, it is a solemn and serious thing for him to reject so direct a message. But the antediluvians rejected the message, even the fullness of the Gospel, as it is now preached to us. If they had then embraced the opportunity they might have received the fullness of the Gospel and been prepared, when Christ was crucified and arose from the dead, to receive through the resurrection of their glorious bodies, free from , disease and corruption.—the most glorious object that ever man set his mind upon. Those people failed to embra.ee that opportunity; but the Lord did not fail to love them and to have regard for them, and He gave them another opportunity, although it was about two thousand five hundred , years afterwards. After Jesus was crucified, He went and visited that people and gave them, the opportunity of receiving that which they rejected when Noah proclaimed to them the principles of spiritual and temporal salvation.
Now, in some respects we differ from any other class of people. Opportunities are before us which are not before them, though at some future time they will have the same opportunities as we have received and acted upon. But our prospects are different from their prospects; things are required at our hands which are not required of them; and there could not be placed before men more glorious prospects than are placed before the Saints. No mortal man could wish anything greater or that will ultimately prove more satisfactory. Everything that pertains to perfect peace, happiness, glory and exaltation is before the Latter-day Saints. We should enjoy the spirit of this, and keep it actively before us. We should not let our prospects be darkened in the least by doing that which is not acceptable before the Lord.
Brethren and sisters, I pray that the Lord may be with us during this Conference; that He may be with those who address you, and especially with you, that you may receive and comprehend some principle or some suggestion that will be of the most sacred importance to you.
The brethren will now address you, and through the exercise of your faith you will be greatly and abundantly blessed; which may God grant, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON.
Condition of missionary fields—Preparation for the ministry — Relating to immigration—Providing employment—efficacy of faith.
The six months that have passed since our last General Conference was held here have not been particularly fruitful in changes in the missionary field, or in any other direction, excepting the loss of our beloved President. The Elders have been blessed in their labors in all the countries where they are endeavoring to propagate the Gospel, and more have returned from their fields than the number of those who have gone. We have, therefore, a smaller number of Elders now in the various fields than we had at our last Conference. There is one thing that has been noticed in the reports that have come from the fields, and that is, there is more diligence on the part of the missionaries and a better class of work is being done. There has been more care taken in sending out missionaries; more strictness observed to have men go out who would not bring discredit to the name of Latter-day Saint by their indiscretions or by their lack of faithfulness. It may be said, I think, truthfully, that the standard is being raised. Our young men are entering more into the spirit of the work, and are seeking to qualify themselves in a manner that will be more acceptable to the Lord and more satisfactory to their fellow servants. There is plenty of room for improvement in this respect. There was a time — probably many of you can remember when if a man were called on a mission it was frequently asked what he had done that he should be called 'on a mission. But now the question is asked, if a man is eligible and not called, "What have I done that I should not be called to go and preach the Gospel?" I think that is the rule at the present time among the Saints throughout Zion. It is looked upon as an honor to go out and preach the Gospel. I was talking to several strangers last night, and we were conversing about our sending out missionaries, and how quickly they responded to the call. I remarked that a young man was always looked upon more favorably by the gentler sex if he were called on a mission than he would be if he were not called. I believe this is true. I believe the girls among us look with favor upon the young men who are called to go on missions, and they feel that their lovers are slighted if they are not called when they are at the proper age; and if they marry, they feel as though their husbands are not taken notice of as they should be if they are not called. This is a good spirit and feeling.
We want our young men to qualify themselves for this labor. Education is easily procured now. There was a time, in the early days, when education was not common—that is, it was net uncommon for very able men to have but meager education. This was the case with the first and most prominent Elders in the Church. But all this has changed. In those days, if a man were not educated it did not attract much attention, for the reason that education was not general—that is, higher education; but now, through the increase of colleges and universities and educational facilities, it is rather discreditable to a man not to be educated, because education is within the reach of all. Therefore, our young men who "go on missions should bear this in mind and should endeavor to qualify themselves for their missions. There is no reason why we should be behind any people in this respect. It should be a stimulus to our young men to seek for education and to qualify themselves, when they know that this is the feeling and the opinion of the world concerning men who go forth as ministers of the Gospel. But a great many lose their faith because they do not understand how to avail themselves of the advantages which they have. This is especially so in regard to college education. Our young men who go away to get education come back in many instances with their faith weakened, because they do not revere the principles of the Gospel and hold fast to them as immutable truths. But, notwithstanding these drawbacks, I am sure we are all gratified at the progress that is being made by our young people, and I hope it will continue. Some perhaps may not use their education aright, and may have their faith weakened; but this is not the case generally, and I trust will not be the case, but that our young people will learn to obtain higher education without becoming imbued with the belief and the skepticism that prevails in the world.
Our Elders among the nations have been very successful, the Lord, is blessing them, and great progress is being made in various directions. We are warning the people, and we are bringing the honest in heart to a knowledge of the truth. There is one course that has been taken which I think will be attended with good effects, that is, counseling the Saints in the various lands where they embrace the Gospel to remain quiet for awhile; to not be anxious to break up their homes to gather to Zion. This counsel is being given by the Elders now in various lands, and it will be attended with excellent effects, because the converts will be accustomed to the principles of the Gospel, and acquainted with the circumstances which surround the people, and more familiar with the trials they may have to meet. Their faith will become stronger, and they will be better able to withstand the trials and difficulties they will have to contend with when they do emigrate to Zion. Most of you know how this operates. A man that is new in the Church and has no experience is not in a position to resist trials that he could subsequently. By having the Saints remain in the places where they dwell they gain experience and strength. Besides this, they are able to help the Elders, and the Elders do not find it so difficult to preach the Gospel, because they have the support and the assistance of those who are members of the Church and who live in organized branches of the Church. I am sure that we will see the good effects of this. "We shall not have so many spending means and time to come here, and then apostatizing, and becoming tired and desiring to return again to where they came from. This effect, I am sure, will be noticeable throughout the wards and Stakes of Zion.
In our own land the Lord has been very kind to us. He has prospered us. He has given us good crops, and the people are in better circumstances, speaking generally, than they were a year ago. And He will continue to bless us. There is one thing that we should attend to as a people, and that is, diversify our pursuits. Our cities should not be crowded with unemployed men. There is plenty of opportunity in this State for men to work out for themselves a subsistence. I often think of how it was when the people landed here in the beginning. They had but very little to eat, very little clothing, and but few tools; but they came on this* ground, and they built themselves houses—such as they were—and they turned in and cultivated the soil, to raise their food, and they succeeded without anyone but the Lord to help them. If our brethren who are unemployed would ask those Who have had experience, they could tell them how to make a living without expecting somebody to feed them or to furnish them with that which they need. It is wrong for them to walk around unemployed. In the spring of the year, if they have not some other employment, they should get a piece of land (there are plenty of people who would let them have a piece on some terms) and raise their own food, or try to raise it. Have somebody teach them how to do it, if they do not know themselves. Our people are willing to assist the industrious and the persevering. None need go short. There is plenty of room on every hand. You need not go out of the State of Utah; there is land in abundance to be obtained here, and obtained easily; and if we can get land and are healthy, every man ought to be able to sustain himself and his family. There is no reason why he should not. Our young men should not be contented to be looking around for somebody to give them employment. Every man should seek to be able to employ himself, and not be hanging around stores and offices asking for somebody to give him employment. Let him strike out for himself, and make a living for himself. He can do it in this country. There are plenty of facilities for every young man. There is no need to go to California, Montana, or to the mines; go to some place in the State and build the State up, build up Zion, and take example from those who have preceded us, who have shown what can be done in building up a commonwealth and making a rich people. For, notwithstanding our difficulties, we are a comparatively rich people.
I alluded to a conversation I had last evening with some gentlemen. Another thing I mentioned comes to my mind, and when it was told wonder was expressed how we could do it. I related how years ago, before the railroad was completed, we sent down every year for several years 500 teams, 500 teamsters, and guards, and loaded those teams with provisions to feed the poor, whom the teams brought up, and also to feed the teamsters. This was done by the Latter-day Saints. Thousands of people were brought into this country in this way. Now, we did not think that was very heavy. I never heard, that I know of, a murmur from anybody respecting this labor. Just think of the cost of it! The hiring of 500 teams for the summer (it was practically a whole year's work), 500 men and guards, and then the provisions to feed the people who were brought from the Missouri up here. We can do great works if we are united and have faith. But where people have no faith, and they say, "I cannot," "It is too much." They ought to feel that they can do anything that is right. We as a people can do anything the Lord requires of us. We ought to have faith in these directions. But we fall into the ways of the world and into thinking as they do. Why, if we do that, we become a commonplace people, of no value particularly. The strength of the Latter-day Saints is their faith. By that they can accomplish anything they set their hearts to do if it is right. God will be with them and sustain them. He has done it all the time. We have accomplished apparent impossibilities through the power and blessing of God and the faith of the people. If we have faith we can accomplish all things that are required at our hands. We should not say, "I cannot do it" — "it is too much for us." That ought not to be the feeling of a Latter-day Saint. We can preach the Gospel, we can gather the people, we can build temples, we can build houses of worship, and we can do everything that is required of us, by the principle of faith, actively exhibited in works. But the feeling that has been growing among us is to drop on somebody else for them to help us. You would be surprised to know how many there are who come and want the Church to help them. They pile on to the Church, and forget that the leaders of the Church have to exercise faith themselves. If they get into a close place instead of going to God and asking Him to help them, and having faith that God is able to assist them in carrying their loads and open the way before them, they must come to the Church. "Cannot the Trustee-in-Trust help me do this?" They cannot build meeting houses; they cannot do this or the other; it is too much for them; and they want the Church to help them. Well, it is a wrong feeling. We should seek to help ourselves, and to call upon God, who is as near the individuals in the settlements as He is to us. He is as willing to listen to the prayers of an Elder in the remotest parts of the earth, as He is in Zion. He is willing to hear all our cries, if we have faith. I tell you, my brethren and sisters, we must cultivate this faith and this confidence in God. One reason, I believe, that the Lord has required the Elders to go without purse or scrip is that we may have faith developed in the earth, that the Elders shall come back filled with faith. Why? Because God has heard and answered their prayers in the utmost extremity. When they have been in the greatest difficulty and it has seemed impossible for them to get relief, the Lord has heard their prayers. These men returning by hundreds as they are, ought to have faith and to increase faith throughout the entire community. There is no doubt they do have a good effect. This community is being elevated by this kind of training. But there is still plenty of room for us to cultivate faith, and not imagine that we must fall on the Church for everything that we need or that we have difficulty in accomplishing. The Trustee-in-Trust cannot respond to all the calls. There is not means enough at his command. Therefore, we should seek individually to do our part towards this work. It should be our pleasure to labor for Zion in every direction and to the utmost of our power. There is no labor on the earth so pleasurable as laboring for Zion, whether in the ministerial field or at home in any field that may be assigned us. There is no greater work, and no work that God smiles upon and blesses as He does that. The man that does it is a happy man, and will be a happy man, who labors for Zion with singleness of purpose and with his heart devoted to the work of the Lord. God bless you, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Condition of missionary fields—Preparation for the ministry — Relating to immigration—Providing employment—efficacy of faith.
The six months that have passed since our last General Conference was held here have not been particularly fruitful in changes in the missionary field, or in any other direction, excepting the loss of our beloved President. The Elders have been blessed in their labors in all the countries where they are endeavoring to propagate the Gospel, and more have returned from their fields than the number of those who have gone. We have, therefore, a smaller number of Elders now in the various fields than we had at our last Conference. There is one thing that has been noticed in the reports that have come from the fields, and that is, there is more diligence on the part of the missionaries and a better class of work is being done. There has been more care taken in sending out missionaries; more strictness observed to have men go out who would not bring discredit to the name of Latter-day Saint by their indiscretions or by their lack of faithfulness. It may be said, I think, truthfully, that the standard is being raised. Our young men are entering more into the spirit of the work, and are seeking to qualify themselves in a manner that will be more acceptable to the Lord and more satisfactory to their fellow servants. There is plenty of room for improvement in this respect. There was a time — probably many of you can remember when if a man were called on a mission it was frequently asked what he had done that he should be called 'on a mission. But now the question is asked, if a man is eligible and not called, "What have I done that I should not be called to go and preach the Gospel?" I think that is the rule at the present time among the Saints throughout Zion. It is looked upon as an honor to go out and preach the Gospel. I was talking to several strangers last night, and we were conversing about our sending out missionaries, and how quickly they responded to the call. I remarked that a young man was always looked upon more favorably by the gentler sex if he were called on a mission than he would be if he were not called. I believe this is true. I believe the girls among us look with favor upon the young men who are called to go on missions, and they feel that their lovers are slighted if they are not called when they are at the proper age; and if they marry, they feel as though their husbands are not taken notice of as they should be if they are not called. This is a good spirit and feeling.
We want our young men to qualify themselves for this labor. Education is easily procured now. There was a time, in the early days, when education was not common—that is, it was net uncommon for very able men to have but meager education. This was the case with the first and most prominent Elders in the Church. But all this has changed. In those days, if a man were not educated it did not attract much attention, for the reason that education was not general—that is, higher education; but now, through the increase of colleges and universities and educational facilities, it is rather discreditable to a man not to be educated, because education is within the reach of all. Therefore, our young men who "go on missions should bear this in mind and should endeavor to qualify themselves for their missions. There is no reason why we should be behind any people in this respect. It should be a stimulus to our young men to seek for education and to qualify themselves, when they know that this is the feeling and the opinion of the world concerning men who go forth as ministers of the Gospel. But a great many lose their faith because they do not understand how to avail themselves of the advantages which they have. This is especially so in regard to college education. Our young men who go away to get education come back in many instances with their faith weakened, because they do not revere the principles of the Gospel and hold fast to them as immutable truths. But, notwithstanding these drawbacks, I am sure we are all gratified at the progress that is being made by our young people, and I hope it will continue. Some perhaps may not use their education aright, and may have their faith weakened; but this is not the case generally, and I trust will not be the case, but that our young people will learn to obtain higher education without becoming imbued with the belief and the skepticism that prevails in the world.
Our Elders among the nations have been very successful, the Lord, is blessing them, and great progress is being made in various directions. We are warning the people, and we are bringing the honest in heart to a knowledge of the truth. There is one course that has been taken which I think will be attended with good effects, that is, counseling the Saints in the various lands where they embrace the Gospel to remain quiet for awhile; to not be anxious to break up their homes to gather to Zion. This counsel is being given by the Elders now in various lands, and it will be attended with excellent effects, because the converts will be accustomed to the principles of the Gospel, and acquainted with the circumstances which surround the people, and more familiar with the trials they may have to meet. Their faith will become stronger, and they will be better able to withstand the trials and difficulties they will have to contend with when they do emigrate to Zion. Most of you know how this operates. A man that is new in the Church and has no experience is not in a position to resist trials that he could subsequently. By having the Saints remain in the places where they dwell they gain experience and strength. Besides this, they are able to help the Elders, and the Elders do not find it so difficult to preach the Gospel, because they have the support and the assistance of those who are members of the Church and who live in organized branches of the Church. I am sure that we will see the good effects of this. "We shall not have so many spending means and time to come here, and then apostatizing, and becoming tired and desiring to return again to where they came from. This effect, I am sure, will be noticeable throughout the wards and Stakes of Zion.
In our own land the Lord has been very kind to us. He has prospered us. He has given us good crops, and the people are in better circumstances, speaking generally, than they were a year ago. And He will continue to bless us. There is one thing that we should attend to as a people, and that is, diversify our pursuits. Our cities should not be crowded with unemployed men. There is plenty of opportunity in this State for men to work out for themselves a subsistence. I often think of how it was when the people landed here in the beginning. They had but very little to eat, very little clothing, and but few tools; but they came on this* ground, and they built themselves houses—such as they were—and they turned in and cultivated the soil, to raise their food, and they succeeded without anyone but the Lord to help them. If our brethren who are unemployed would ask those Who have had experience, they could tell them how to make a living without expecting somebody to feed them or to furnish them with that which they need. It is wrong for them to walk around unemployed. In the spring of the year, if they have not some other employment, they should get a piece of land (there are plenty of people who would let them have a piece on some terms) and raise their own food, or try to raise it. Have somebody teach them how to do it, if they do not know themselves. Our people are willing to assist the industrious and the persevering. None need go short. There is plenty of room on every hand. You need not go out of the State of Utah; there is land in abundance to be obtained here, and obtained easily; and if we can get land and are healthy, every man ought to be able to sustain himself and his family. There is no reason why he should not. Our young men should not be contented to be looking around for somebody to give them employment. Every man should seek to be able to employ himself, and not be hanging around stores and offices asking for somebody to give him employment. Let him strike out for himself, and make a living for himself. He can do it in this country. There are plenty of facilities for every young man. There is no need to go to California, Montana, or to the mines; go to some place in the State and build the State up, build up Zion, and take example from those who have preceded us, who have shown what can be done in building up a commonwealth and making a rich people. For, notwithstanding our difficulties, we are a comparatively rich people.
I alluded to a conversation I had last evening with some gentlemen. Another thing I mentioned comes to my mind, and when it was told wonder was expressed how we could do it. I related how years ago, before the railroad was completed, we sent down every year for several years 500 teams, 500 teamsters, and guards, and loaded those teams with provisions to feed the poor, whom the teams brought up, and also to feed the teamsters. This was done by the Latter-day Saints. Thousands of people were brought into this country in this way. Now, we did not think that was very heavy. I never heard, that I know of, a murmur from anybody respecting this labor. Just think of the cost of it! The hiring of 500 teams for the summer (it was practically a whole year's work), 500 men and guards, and then the provisions to feed the people who were brought from the Missouri up here. We can do great works if we are united and have faith. But where people have no faith, and they say, "I cannot," "It is too much." They ought to feel that they can do anything that is right. We as a people can do anything the Lord requires of us. We ought to have faith in these directions. But we fall into the ways of the world and into thinking as they do. Why, if we do that, we become a commonplace people, of no value particularly. The strength of the Latter-day Saints is their faith. By that they can accomplish anything they set their hearts to do if it is right. God will be with them and sustain them. He has done it all the time. We have accomplished apparent impossibilities through the power and blessing of God and the faith of the people. If we have faith we can accomplish all things that are required at our hands. We should not say, "I cannot do it" — "it is too much for us." That ought not to be the feeling of a Latter-day Saint. We can preach the Gospel, we can gather the people, we can build temples, we can build houses of worship, and we can do everything that is required of us, by the principle of faith, actively exhibited in works. But the feeling that has been growing among us is to drop on somebody else for them to help us. You would be surprised to know how many there are who come and want the Church to help them. They pile on to the Church, and forget that the leaders of the Church have to exercise faith themselves. If they get into a close place instead of going to God and asking Him to help them, and having faith that God is able to assist them in carrying their loads and open the way before them, they must come to the Church. "Cannot the Trustee-in-Trust help me do this?" They cannot build meeting houses; they cannot do this or the other; it is too much for them; and they want the Church to help them. Well, it is a wrong feeling. We should seek to help ourselves, and to call upon God, who is as near the individuals in the settlements as He is to us. He is as willing to listen to the prayers of an Elder in the remotest parts of the earth, as He is in Zion. He is willing to hear all our cries, if we have faith. I tell you, my brethren and sisters, we must cultivate this faith and this confidence in God. One reason, I believe, that the Lord has required the Elders to go without purse or scrip is that we may have faith developed in the earth, that the Elders shall come back filled with faith. Why? Because God has heard and answered their prayers in the utmost extremity. When they have been in the greatest difficulty and it has seemed impossible for them to get relief, the Lord has heard their prayers. These men returning by hundreds as they are, ought to have faith and to increase faith throughout the entire community. There is no doubt they do have a good effect. This community is being elevated by this kind of training. But there is still plenty of room for us to cultivate faith, and not imagine that we must fall on the Church for everything that we need or that we have difficulty in accomplishing. The Trustee-in-Trust cannot respond to all the calls. There is not means enough at his command. Therefore, we should seek individually to do our part towards this work. It should be our pleasure to labor for Zion in every direction and to the utmost of our power. There is no labor on the earth so pleasurable as laboring for Zion, whether in the ministerial field or at home in any field that may be assigned us. There is no greater work, and no work that God smiles upon and blesses as He does that. The man that does it is a happy man, and will be a happy man, who labors for Zion with singleness of purpose and with his heart devoted to the work of the Lord. God bless you, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
ELDER MATHIAS F. COWLEY.
Guidance of the Holy Spirit—Perpetuity of the Church—Divine authority of the Priesthood—The power of Faith—Necessity of strictness In the payment of Tithing.
My Brethren and Sisters: I am gratified for the privilege of meeting with you at this Conference, and I desire, in performing my duty, to enjoy the suggestions of the Holy Spirit. The object, as I understand it, of our general conferences, and proportionately the Stake and ward conferences of the Church, is that "we may be strengthened in our faith, that we may be encouraged in the performance of our duties.
There is no question of greater importance than the one which every man and woman should ask himself or herself personally: "Am I doing my duty as a Latter-day Saint?" Am I living in strict harmony with the sacred covenants which I have made with the Lord? If I 'am there is a testimony in my heart that the Lord is pleased with me, and if I am not there is a testimony that I am not as acceptable as I should be." And if any one who is not doing his full duty is not chided by the Holy Spirit, he is in a dangerous condition, for he has deadened the influence of the power within him.
I have been impressed so many times that it almost seems to be a hobby in my own mind, by the statement that President Woodruff made to us on several occasions; I think not only in this tabernacle but in other places throughout the Church, and possibly in his writings; that President Brigham Young appeared to him on a certain occasion, I believe it was when he was in exile in Arizona. President Woodruff was on his way to attend a conference and the departed Prophet presented himself to this living' Apostle in the flesh, and President Woodruff asked him: "Are you going to attend conference with us, President Young? and will you address u's on the occasion?" President Young replied to him: "Brother Woodruff, I have done my talking in the flesh; that remains for you to do; but there is one thing I want you to do and to impress upon the minds of the Latter-day Saints, and that is to tell them to get the spirit of God and keep it with them." This sounds a little peculiar because it is the common injunction that is laid down i:n the Scriptures, that has been written in the revelations of God in every dispensation and has been uttered by every Prophet, and for that matter it has been urged by every faithful Elder in his ministration, and by every faithful Bishop of the Church, and every president of a Stake, to seek for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and to cultivate it that it may be unto us a constant companion. Considering this, it would seem a little peculiar that a departed Prophet of God should come to a living Prophet and tell such an apparently common message. But it is not common; it is the important key-note to everything in this Church. When the Latter-day Saints first heard the sound of the Gospel in their native lands, they were led to receive it with joy and satisfaction, but they were unacquainted with the whisperings of the Holy Spirit. It had been taught for many generations that the living Spirit of God as it was enjoyed in the ministrations of the Savior and his Apostles in the land of Palestine during their ministrations on the earth, was not to be expected in this enlightened age; and that the conditions which were associated with the various dispensations of the Gospel committed to man from the time of Adam down to the present day, the conditions associated with the enjoyment of the spirit of revelation to guide every man and woman that should embrace the Gospel, were not to be expected in the nineteenth century. And consequently when the Gospel was restored to the earth, and the Elders went forth declaring the same, it was a matter of astonishment to those who heard it and who did not have the spirit to receive it, and were not looking for such a message; but the hearts of those who received the Gospel had been, in most instances, prepared for it. They were looking for such a message. Their hearts were filled with joy and pleasure when they embraced the Gospel. They received a living testimony for themselves. That testimony was not confined to the Prophet Joseph Smith, nor to his immediate associates. It was not confined to any council or quorum in the holy Priesthood, but the promise was universal; that whosoever would receive the Gospel might not only receive a remission of their sins, but also a living testimony of the Holy Spirit; they should know that God had spoken from the heavens; they should receive a witness that their sins had been remitted; and when this testimony came to those who embraced it, what joy, what satisfaction it produced in their hearts! And during all the history of this Church, now Sixty-eight and one-half years in this dispensation, it is so organized and, in the purposes of God, is so designed as to perpetuate itself. Men have passed away; the Prophet of God and his brother, Hyrum, who stood by him in all the trials and tribulations of life, and who was also a Prophet of the living God, they laid down their lives; they sealed their testimony with their blood; but the work did not die with them. The Lord had organized the Church in such a way that when the Presidency was dissolved by the death of the Prophet, Twelve Apostles should preside over the Church, until the Presidency should be organized again; and so this organization has been perpetuated on the earth; and when men have been called to positions, they have been called by the spirit of revelation from God, just as literally, and just as distinctly as those that Paul spoke of in the 13th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. When the Apostles were assembled and considering the appointment of Elders to labor (in the ministry, and as they fasted, the Holy Ghost said unto them: "Separate unto me Barnabas and Saul for the work where unto I have called them." And they were called by the Spirit of revelation, and by the laying on of hands by those who had been called of God to administer in His name in the flesh; and this is the only way that the work of the Lord has ever been perpetuated in the earth in any dispensation of the Gospel. It was so in the days of Moses, who had received the higher Priesthood, which holds the keys of receiving revelation, from God for the government of His affairs among the children of men, and without which Priesthood, the Lord has said the power of Godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh. But Moses honored this Priesthood, and he sought to sanctify all his people, just as the Prophet Joseph and his successors have sought to sanctify the Latter-day Saints, that they might come to a higher standard in the enjoyment of the Gospel, and the authority and power of the holy Priesthood. He sought to sanctify them that they might (have the manifestations of the glory of God, and he sought to promote them to that standard, but when he went up to commune with the Lord on Mount Sinai, he had to draw a boundary line, and say to them that they should not pass over it because of their unworthiness; and he went up and communed with the Lord, and he received the mind and will of the Lord; and when he came dawn to communicate it to the House of Israeli, they could not look upon his countenance, because it shone with the Spirit of God—it shone with that power of Godliness which was reflected through the Priesthood which the Prophet Moses held; but they could not be sanctified, for the reason that they rejected the higher Jaw of the Gospel, which had been delivered to the Prophet Moses and through which he sought to sanctify them. As they were unworthy to continue in these higher blessings the Lord decreed that they should continue in the ordinances of the Lesser Priesthood the administration of sacrifices, symbolical of the sacrifice of the Son of God for the redemption of mankind. He was called to do that work; to stand at the head of the House Of Israel; a man that was called of God by revelation, a man that had been faithful.
Joshua, the son of Nun, was always inspired with that faith in God spoken of this morning by President Cannon. He did not stagger at the command of God, or at the purposes of the Almighty in designing the plan for entering into the land which had been promised to Abraham and his seed after him for an everlasting possession. You may read in the later chapters of Deuteronomy how Joshua was called. The Lord said unto Moses: "Take unto thee Joshua, the son of Nun, in whom is the spirit of wisdom, and lay thine hand upon him." He was called of God by revelation, and was ordained to stand 'at the head of the House of Israel and to preside in the administration of those ordinances which "were symbolical of the atonement of the Savior, and which continued in Israel until the coming of the Son of God, who introduced the Gospel again in its fullness and restored the higher Priesthood.
The work of God in this generation has 'been established just as literally as it was anciently. The brethren who have been called to preside over this Church have been selected by the Spirit of revelation, and it has been manifest very strikingly of late in the calling of President Lorenzo Snow, and of brethren to preside over missions. Brethren have communed with the Lord; they have sought the mind and will of the Lord to know about these matters, and they have received it by the Spirit of revelation. I want to bear my testimony concerning the principle of faith. We do not have it as we ought to have it; it is not exemplified in our lives as it ought to be; we ought to have the faith that characterized Nephi, when he was sent to obtain the. plates of Laban, and when his brethren staggered at the thought of their going to face the probable danger of performing that duty which had been assigned to them by their father, or by the Lord through their father, the Prophet Nephi said unto them: "The Lord, God, giveth no commandment unto the children of men, save that He will prepare a way for them to accomplish the thing which He commandeth them." That statement, enunciated by the Prophet Nephi, is as true today as it was then. The evidences of the truth of this work are stamped upon the mind by the exercise of the principle of faith. We may not be able to communicate by mere verbal statement or by letter the Spirit and testimony of this work, but it is as tangible to us as it is to the human body when you receive a shock of electricity. You cannot describe the sensation so that others can feel It and understand it; they must have the current of electricity turned into their own souls in order to understand it. It is just as possible to receive a testimony of the divinity of this work as it is tangible to the human body to be shocked with electricity.
I rejoice, my brethren and sisters, in the labors of the Elders abroad. I rejoice when I see them returning with a good report, having been schooled in that experience which can be obtained alone by the exercise of faith in God by going forth, without money and without price, to declare the Gospel unto the nations of the earth. Education is not alone to be obtained from books and in universities, colleges and in seminaries of learning. There is an education that comes through the revelations of the Spirit of God to man that is higher than every other class of education, and compared with which all other systems of education sink into insignificance. What do we know about the earth even upon which we stand? What do we know about the planets that roll in space? Very little; but when the time comes, we will receive a knowledge of these things by revelation from God—when these sciences will be written upon by the Spirit of revelation resting upon men of God—men who exalt the Lord above all else. These things will be revealed from heaven, and we will understand them in their true light, and we will understand them perfectly.
I exhort you to pray to God for His spirit; strive to keep it with you; the only way to do that is to do your simple duty. There is nothing so important as the simple duty of the hour — that is the duty of the Latter-day Saints. It is their duty to nave family prayer in the evening, and to call God into their midst. They should teach their posterity to pray; teach them to ask a blessing on their food. It is the duty of every Latter-day Saint to pay his tithing and to pay it fully, not to make a feeble attempt at it by paying one-half, or one-fifth, or four fifths, but by paying his full one- tenth of his interest annually. If it is not one-tenth, it is not thoroughly and completely tithing. When you baptize a man in water, if you do it with his right hand not immersed, the Elder on the bank in charge, requests the one administering to do it over again, and immerse the whole body in the water, that it may be truly a baptism for the remission of sins, in similitude of the resurrection of the Son of God. As Latter-day Saints, we ought to be just as thorough in the performance of our duties, our simple duties in the Gospel, our prayers, our thanks, our offerings, our attention to the Priesthood of God in complying with the calls to carry the Gospel abroad, or to labor at home, as a merchant is in looking after the interests of his establishment. If we were so, the spirit of the Lord would be more abundantly poured out upon this people. There would be more living witnesses by their experiences of the power of God among the people than there are. I want to bear my testimony that no man or woman ever gets tired of paying tithing so long as they observe these simple duties. It is one of the grandest testimonies to the truth of this work, that no man who conscientiously lives it, who reflects and studies upon it according to the best opportunities, and time and ability that he has, ever tires of what the world call "Mormonism;" but when you find a man that has fallen by the wayside, you can trace in his course the neglect of some duty or the violation of some covenant which he has made with his God.
May God bless us, my brethren sisters, and enable us to live nearer to him and keep His commandments more strictly in all respects, that we may enjoy the spirit of the Priesthood and the spirit and power which belongs to this work; I ask it in the name of Jesus. Amen.
The choir sang, We thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet.
Benediction by Patriarch John Smith.
Guidance of the Holy Spirit—Perpetuity of the Church—Divine authority of the Priesthood—The power of Faith—Necessity of strictness In the payment of Tithing.
My Brethren and Sisters: I am gratified for the privilege of meeting with you at this Conference, and I desire, in performing my duty, to enjoy the suggestions of the Holy Spirit. The object, as I understand it, of our general conferences, and proportionately the Stake and ward conferences of the Church, is that "we may be strengthened in our faith, that we may be encouraged in the performance of our duties.
There is no question of greater importance than the one which every man and woman should ask himself or herself personally: "Am I doing my duty as a Latter-day Saint?" Am I living in strict harmony with the sacred covenants which I have made with the Lord? If I 'am there is a testimony in my heart that the Lord is pleased with me, and if I am not there is a testimony that I am not as acceptable as I should be." And if any one who is not doing his full duty is not chided by the Holy Spirit, he is in a dangerous condition, for he has deadened the influence of the power within him.
I have been impressed so many times that it almost seems to be a hobby in my own mind, by the statement that President Woodruff made to us on several occasions; I think not only in this tabernacle but in other places throughout the Church, and possibly in his writings; that President Brigham Young appeared to him on a certain occasion, I believe it was when he was in exile in Arizona. President Woodruff was on his way to attend a conference and the departed Prophet presented himself to this living' Apostle in the flesh, and President Woodruff asked him: "Are you going to attend conference with us, President Young? and will you address u's on the occasion?" President Young replied to him: "Brother Woodruff, I have done my talking in the flesh; that remains for you to do; but there is one thing I want you to do and to impress upon the minds of the Latter-day Saints, and that is to tell them to get the spirit of God and keep it with them." This sounds a little peculiar because it is the common injunction that is laid down i:n the Scriptures, that has been written in the revelations of God in every dispensation and has been uttered by every Prophet, and for that matter it has been urged by every faithful Elder in his ministration, and by every faithful Bishop of the Church, and every president of a Stake, to seek for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and to cultivate it that it may be unto us a constant companion. Considering this, it would seem a little peculiar that a departed Prophet of God should come to a living Prophet and tell such an apparently common message. But it is not common; it is the important key-note to everything in this Church. When the Latter-day Saints first heard the sound of the Gospel in their native lands, they were led to receive it with joy and satisfaction, but they were unacquainted with the whisperings of the Holy Spirit. It had been taught for many generations that the living Spirit of God as it was enjoyed in the ministrations of the Savior and his Apostles in the land of Palestine during their ministrations on the earth, was not to be expected in this enlightened age; and that the conditions which were associated with the various dispensations of the Gospel committed to man from the time of Adam down to the present day, the conditions associated with the enjoyment of the spirit of revelation to guide every man and woman that should embrace the Gospel, were not to be expected in the nineteenth century. And consequently when the Gospel was restored to the earth, and the Elders went forth declaring the same, it was a matter of astonishment to those who heard it and who did not have the spirit to receive it, and were not looking for such a message; but the hearts of those who received the Gospel had been, in most instances, prepared for it. They were looking for such a message. Their hearts were filled with joy and pleasure when they embraced the Gospel. They received a living testimony for themselves. That testimony was not confined to the Prophet Joseph Smith, nor to his immediate associates. It was not confined to any council or quorum in the holy Priesthood, but the promise was universal; that whosoever would receive the Gospel might not only receive a remission of their sins, but also a living testimony of the Holy Spirit; they should know that God had spoken from the heavens; they should receive a witness that their sins had been remitted; and when this testimony came to those who embraced it, what joy, what satisfaction it produced in their hearts! And during all the history of this Church, now Sixty-eight and one-half years in this dispensation, it is so organized and, in the purposes of God, is so designed as to perpetuate itself. Men have passed away; the Prophet of God and his brother, Hyrum, who stood by him in all the trials and tribulations of life, and who was also a Prophet of the living God, they laid down their lives; they sealed their testimony with their blood; but the work did not die with them. The Lord had organized the Church in such a way that when the Presidency was dissolved by the death of the Prophet, Twelve Apostles should preside over the Church, until the Presidency should be organized again; and so this organization has been perpetuated on the earth; and when men have been called to positions, they have been called by the spirit of revelation from God, just as literally, and just as distinctly as those that Paul spoke of in the 13th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. When the Apostles were assembled and considering the appointment of Elders to labor (in the ministry, and as they fasted, the Holy Ghost said unto them: "Separate unto me Barnabas and Saul for the work where unto I have called them." And they were called by the Spirit of revelation, and by the laying on of hands by those who had been called of God to administer in His name in the flesh; and this is the only way that the work of the Lord has ever been perpetuated in the earth in any dispensation of the Gospel. It was so in the days of Moses, who had received the higher Priesthood, which holds the keys of receiving revelation, from God for the government of His affairs among the children of men, and without which Priesthood, the Lord has said the power of Godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh. But Moses honored this Priesthood, and he sought to sanctify all his people, just as the Prophet Joseph and his successors have sought to sanctify the Latter-day Saints, that they might come to a higher standard in the enjoyment of the Gospel, and the authority and power of the holy Priesthood. He sought to sanctify them that they might (have the manifestations of the glory of God, and he sought to promote them to that standard, but when he went up to commune with the Lord on Mount Sinai, he had to draw a boundary line, and say to them that they should not pass over it because of their unworthiness; and he went up and communed with the Lord, and he received the mind and will of the Lord; and when he came dawn to communicate it to the House of Israeli, they could not look upon his countenance, because it shone with the Spirit of God—it shone with that power of Godliness which was reflected through the Priesthood which the Prophet Moses held; but they could not be sanctified, for the reason that they rejected the higher Jaw of the Gospel, which had been delivered to the Prophet Moses and through which he sought to sanctify them. As they were unworthy to continue in these higher blessings the Lord decreed that they should continue in the ordinances of the Lesser Priesthood the administration of sacrifices, symbolical of the sacrifice of the Son of God for the redemption of mankind. He was called to do that work; to stand at the head of the House Of Israel; a man that was called of God by revelation, a man that had been faithful.
Joshua, the son of Nun, was always inspired with that faith in God spoken of this morning by President Cannon. He did not stagger at the command of God, or at the purposes of the Almighty in designing the plan for entering into the land which had been promised to Abraham and his seed after him for an everlasting possession. You may read in the later chapters of Deuteronomy how Joshua was called. The Lord said unto Moses: "Take unto thee Joshua, the son of Nun, in whom is the spirit of wisdom, and lay thine hand upon him." He was called of God by revelation, and was ordained to stand 'at the head of the House of Israel and to preside in the administration of those ordinances which "were symbolical of the atonement of the Savior, and which continued in Israel until the coming of the Son of God, who introduced the Gospel again in its fullness and restored the higher Priesthood.
The work of God in this generation has 'been established just as literally as it was anciently. The brethren who have been called to preside over this Church have been selected by the Spirit of revelation, and it has been manifest very strikingly of late in the calling of President Lorenzo Snow, and of brethren to preside over missions. Brethren have communed with the Lord; they have sought the mind and will of the Lord to know about these matters, and they have received it by the Spirit of revelation. I want to bear my testimony concerning the principle of faith. We do not have it as we ought to have it; it is not exemplified in our lives as it ought to be; we ought to have the faith that characterized Nephi, when he was sent to obtain the. plates of Laban, and when his brethren staggered at the thought of their going to face the probable danger of performing that duty which had been assigned to them by their father, or by the Lord through their father, the Prophet Nephi said unto them: "The Lord, God, giveth no commandment unto the children of men, save that He will prepare a way for them to accomplish the thing which He commandeth them." That statement, enunciated by the Prophet Nephi, is as true today as it was then. The evidences of the truth of this work are stamped upon the mind by the exercise of the principle of faith. We may not be able to communicate by mere verbal statement or by letter the Spirit and testimony of this work, but it is as tangible to us as it is to the human body when you receive a shock of electricity. You cannot describe the sensation so that others can feel It and understand it; they must have the current of electricity turned into their own souls in order to understand it. It is just as possible to receive a testimony of the divinity of this work as it is tangible to the human body to be shocked with electricity.
I rejoice, my brethren and sisters, in the labors of the Elders abroad. I rejoice when I see them returning with a good report, having been schooled in that experience which can be obtained alone by the exercise of faith in God by going forth, without money and without price, to declare the Gospel unto the nations of the earth. Education is not alone to be obtained from books and in universities, colleges and in seminaries of learning. There is an education that comes through the revelations of the Spirit of God to man that is higher than every other class of education, and compared with which all other systems of education sink into insignificance. What do we know about the earth even upon which we stand? What do we know about the planets that roll in space? Very little; but when the time comes, we will receive a knowledge of these things by revelation from God—when these sciences will be written upon by the Spirit of revelation resting upon men of God—men who exalt the Lord above all else. These things will be revealed from heaven, and we will understand them in their true light, and we will understand them perfectly.
I exhort you to pray to God for His spirit; strive to keep it with you; the only way to do that is to do your simple duty. There is nothing so important as the simple duty of the hour — that is the duty of the Latter-day Saints. It is their duty to nave family prayer in the evening, and to call God into their midst. They should teach their posterity to pray; teach them to ask a blessing on their food. It is the duty of every Latter-day Saint to pay his tithing and to pay it fully, not to make a feeble attempt at it by paying one-half, or one-fifth, or four fifths, but by paying his full one- tenth of his interest annually. If it is not one-tenth, it is not thoroughly and completely tithing. When you baptize a man in water, if you do it with his right hand not immersed, the Elder on the bank in charge, requests the one administering to do it over again, and immerse the whole body in the water, that it may be truly a baptism for the remission of sins, in similitude of the resurrection of the Son of God. As Latter-day Saints, we ought to be just as thorough in the performance of our duties, our simple duties in the Gospel, our prayers, our thanks, our offerings, our attention to the Priesthood of God in complying with the calls to carry the Gospel abroad, or to labor at home, as a merchant is in looking after the interests of his establishment. If we were so, the spirit of the Lord would be more abundantly poured out upon this people. There would be more living witnesses by their experiences of the power of God among the people than there are. I want to bear my testimony that no man or woman ever gets tired of paying tithing so long as they observe these simple duties. It is one of the grandest testimonies to the truth of this work, that no man who conscientiously lives it, who reflects and studies upon it according to the best opportunities, and time and ability that he has, ever tires of what the world call "Mormonism;" but when you find a man that has fallen by the wayside, you can trace in his course the neglect of some duty or the violation of some covenant which he has made with his God.
May God bless us, my brethren sisters, and enable us to live nearer to him and keep His commandments more strictly in all respects, that we may enjoy the spirit of the Priesthood and the spirit and power which belongs to this work; I ask it in the name of Jesus. Amen.
The choir sang, We thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet.
Benediction by Patriarch John Smith.
2 p. m.
The hymn which begins as follows was sung by the choir and congregation:
Now let us rejoice in the day of salvation;
No longer as strangers on earth need We roam,
Good tidings are sounding to us and each nation.
And shortly the hour of redemption will come.
Prayer by Elder George C. Parkinson.
Singing:
All hail the glorious day,
By Prophets long foretold.
When, with harmonious lay,
The sheep of Israel's fold
On Zion's hill His praise proclaim,
And shout hosanna to His name.
The hymn which begins as follows was sung by the choir and congregation:
Now let us rejoice in the day of salvation;
No longer as strangers on earth need We roam,
Good tidings are sounding to us and each nation.
And shortly the hour of redemption will come.
Prayer by Elder George C. Parkinson.
Singing:
All hail the glorious day,
By Prophets long foretold.
When, with harmonious lay,
The sheep of Israel's fold
On Zion's hill His praise proclaim,
And shout hosanna to His name.
ELDER ANTHON H. LUND.
Missionary work In the Orient—Opposition encountered— Changes In Palestine—An American Colony,
I hope that I may be in possession of the same spirit that inspired our brethren who addressed us this morning I feel happy to be in your midst, to see so many faces, happy faces, of the Latter-day Saints as I see here before me today.
When you last met in general Conference, I did not have the pleasure to be with you, as I was then laboring among the Saints in the Orient. I had a very interesting mission to that part of the earth. As you know, we have a number of Saints in the Turkish empire. During the massacres which occurred in Armenia a few years ago, our brethren and sisters there Were left without any Elders from Zion to preside over them. The Presidency of the Church sent Brother Hintze and myself over there last December to organize the Church more fully. We found that the Saints there, though left without Elders from Zion to preside over them, had not lost the spirit of the work. It is quite a testimony to me that the Spirit of God works the same, makes the same manifestations wherever it is enjoyed. The Saints there enjoy the spirit of the Gospel, rejoice in that which 'they have received, and the Spirit had led them 'to a right understanding. I was pleased to see them so well grounded in the principles of the Gospel, especially when I thought of their not having access to any of our Church works. Only a few of the Saints were able to read English, and we have not yet any of our Church works translated into Turkish. A few tracts have been published, but the works of the Church have not yet been translated into that language and consequently our brethren and sisters 'there have not been able to read our accepted works except the Bible, nor any of our published sermons; and still we found them in full accord with the belief and faith of the Church, showing that the Spirit of God leads into all truth. They were very happy to have us come and visit them. We found quite a number ready to receive the Gospel, and had the joy of leading quite a number into 'the waters of baptism. Some had been baptized, but for the want of an Elder had not been confirmed members. They were glad to receive this blessing. We organized a branch of the Church at Aintab. I do not think that such a condition will again arise there, as that of the Saints of the largest branch being left under the presidency of a Priest only. We found brethren there worthy of presiding, worthy of the Priesthood, and ordained them.
We also found that our adversary was not pleased with our work, nor with the work of the Saints. Persecution was raised against the Saints there, the mob disturbed some of our meetings, but the Lord was with us; none was hurt, and it caused more of a spirit of inquiry amongst the people. The government and the officers of the government were friendly to us and promised us protection. I found that it was mostly members belonging to different Christian denominations which raised this persecution against our people. The Turks themselves did not act in any way unfriendly towards us. They wondered what all this turmoil was about, and came to us and wanted to know what we really believed. While the Turkish government is not one that an American would like to live under, still it gives greater religious liberty to our Saints than they would be permitted to enjoy in countries like Greece, Italy, or Spain. The Mohammedans do not interfere with our brethren in the exercise of their religion, or forbid them to believe as they desire, but give freedom to worship God according to the dictates of their conscience. I may qualify this by saying that the Mohammedans themselves do not enjoy this freedom to the same extent as the Christians. If a Mohammedan should leave his religion and join any other religion in that land, he would be ostracized from the society of his relatives and friends, and would be in danger even of his life. But as to the Christians, the Mohammedans are willing that they do as they please in regard to their religion, and I believe the more contention they see amongst the Christians the more they like it.
When persecution was raised against us, the Saints were desirous of our appealing to the government for help, but on second thought we felt that this would not be wise. We did not like to raise strife between the Mohammedans and the Christians. It is not a long time since a great many Christians lost their lives in Armenia, and we were afraid that we might be the cause of starting this race hatred between the two parties, and we thought it would be better to suffer a little wrong than to be the cause of wrong being done. I told the Saints that I did not think the persecution would amount to much, and I knew that the Lord was able to protect His Saints.
Wherever the Gospel has been introduced it has always met with opposition. The Turkish mayor of Aintab said to me, when I asked him to look after our people, that they should not suffer any wrong at the hands of their enemies, "Wherever a message of truth is sent, those bearing it will suffer persecution." I knew the sentiment was true, but it sounded curious to hear it from his lips. He promised to protect the 'Saints, and I learn from that he has fined some of the mobocrats.
I believe there is a great future for our people in that land; and that there are many of the honest in heart, and I hope our brethren will find them. They love to hear the Gospel. They love the truth, and when they receive it they enjoy the Spirit, and the signs follow them that Relieve, even in that far off land.
In company with- Elders Hintze, Maycock, Larson and Nishan, the latter a native Elder, I visited the Holy Land, and traveled over the places so familiar and so interesting to us from reading the Scriptures. We examined the country and the conditions existing there carefully with a view of finding a place of gathering for the Saints.
You remember that in the forties Apostle Orson Hyde was sent to that land, and that he dedicated it unto the Lord, and for the gathering of the Jews. That land had been cursed on account of the iniquity of its people, and for hundreds of years it has been a testimony to the world that the Lord honors the words of his servants, the words spoken by the inspiration of His Spirit. Moses, thousands of years ago, was permitted to see the future and prophesied concerning it, warning the people of Israel that if they did not obey the commandments of God they should be scattered amongst the nations of the earth. You who have read history know how literally this prophecy has been fulfilled, and that the land given to Abraham and his seed has been occupied by strangers, and that the blessings of God which once made that land a delightful place in which to dwell, were withdrawn and it was turned into a barren and forbidding land. Brother Hyde went there and blessed it. The mission given to the servants of God was to proclaim the Gospel to the Gentiles first and then to the Jews. This was declared very early by the Lord as the mission given to His servants. His chosen people were not forgotten. They, also, should receive the Gospel message; but this time the first should be the last. The Prophet Joseph was inspired to send Brother Hyde to that land, and look at the change! A spirit has come over the Jews, over the House of Israel, to gather to 'that land. This was not felt by them before but since that time.
This spirit has come upon them in whatever part of the earth they dwell. We found in traveling- in that land whole settlements of Jews who have gathered there of late years. In talking with them (Brother Hintze being able to talk the language) we learned that they were not gathering in faith; it was not because they believed that the Lord had opened the way before them, but they had a desire to go there. A learned Jewish doctor told us that his people wanted to become again a nation. They longed to be once more a people upon the earth, and 'to own the land given to their fathers.
In Jerusalem we found quite an increase in the number of the Jews; during the last three years, fifteen thousand had settled there. The sultan is not pleased with this and has prohibited the Jews from emigrating into Palestine, but still the movement is going on, the Zion movement among the people of Israel, and they are looking forward to inhabiting that land. It is one of the signs of the times. Before long I believe the Lord will touch the hearts of that people and they will believe in Jesus as their Messiah. The Book of Mormon has the prophecy that when they do believe in Him that land shall be given them again as their inheritance. I do not believe that time is far distant. I believe that the time is hastening when the Lord will accomplish what he has spoken by His servants the Prophets.
While in Jerusalem we met a colony of Americans. These people have been impressed that they live in the last days and that the coming of Christ is near, and so they have sold out their possessions, taken their means with them to Jerusalem that they might live there when Christ comes, believing that He will come to Mount Olivet.
We spent a very pleasant evening with them. They lived in the united order, having everything in common, and they use their time in doing good, in going to the sick and helping the poor. So far they are doing a good work. Mrs. Spofford, the president and leader of the society, told us that in studying the Scriptures they have come to the conclusion that Christ will soon appear, and she said: "We were struck very much by the prophecy uttered by Zachariah in the 14th chapter, 10th verse, and also by the prophecy of Jeremiah, concerning Jerusalem, in the 31st chapter, in which it is foretold how the city of Jerusalem shall be built on certain lines. When reading the chapters closely we find that the time alluded to is the latter days, and it is said there that the city of Jerusalem should be built from the tower of Hananeel to the king's wine presses and from there to the valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes." She pointed out to us this fact, that the city is being built now exactly on these lines. They did not know at first where the tower of Hananeel was. Nobody seemed to know, and if you look into books giving descriptions of Jerusalem, that place is not designated, but a few years ago when they were digging the foundations of the Grand hotel in Jerusalem they discovered the foundations of a tower and among: inscriptions found was the name of Hananeel. This made them believe that this must have been the tower of Hananeel. Taking that for a starting point, and to the king's wine presses and down to the valley of ashes, Jerusalem is being built as thus described These people took this to be one of the signs of the times. I take it to be one of the signs of the times, that God is working upon His people, His chosen people, and that they are gathering to that land.
As for our people gathering there, we feel that our brethren should be well grounded in the faith before we move them, and still being in their infancy it would be better to strengthen the branches and have more come into the Church, and then gradually gather them down to a place selected in the Holy Land, and this is a work that will be accomplished. There will be a Zion in the East as well as in the West, "for the law shall go forth out of f Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."
Brethren and sisters, I delight in dwelling upon these things. I see the Lord is working with the nations. He is gradually accomplishing His purposes, and His work will grow in the earth, and all the opposition in the world will not stop it. He has revealed His will to men. He has established His kingdom upon the earth, and it will grow until it becomes, as Daniel saw, a kingdom that will fill the whole earth.
May the Lord help us to be faithful and true and to have a share in His kingdom forever, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Missionary work In the Orient—Opposition encountered— Changes In Palestine—An American Colony,
I hope that I may be in possession of the same spirit that inspired our brethren who addressed us this morning I feel happy to be in your midst, to see so many faces, happy faces, of the Latter-day Saints as I see here before me today.
When you last met in general Conference, I did not have the pleasure to be with you, as I was then laboring among the Saints in the Orient. I had a very interesting mission to that part of the earth. As you know, we have a number of Saints in the Turkish empire. During the massacres which occurred in Armenia a few years ago, our brethren and sisters there Were left without any Elders from Zion to preside over them. The Presidency of the Church sent Brother Hintze and myself over there last December to organize the Church more fully. We found that the Saints there, though left without Elders from Zion to preside over them, had not lost the spirit of the work. It is quite a testimony to me that the Spirit of God works the same, makes the same manifestations wherever it is enjoyed. The Saints there enjoy the spirit of the Gospel, rejoice in that which 'they have received, and the Spirit had led them 'to a right understanding. I was pleased to see them so well grounded in the principles of the Gospel, especially when I thought of their not having access to any of our Church works. Only a few of the Saints were able to read English, and we have not yet any of our Church works translated into Turkish. A few tracts have been published, but the works of the Church have not yet been translated into that language and consequently our brethren and sisters 'there have not been able to read our accepted works except the Bible, nor any of our published sermons; and still we found them in full accord with the belief and faith of the Church, showing that the Spirit of God leads into all truth. They were very happy to have us come and visit them. We found quite a number ready to receive the Gospel, and had the joy of leading quite a number into 'the waters of baptism. Some had been baptized, but for the want of an Elder had not been confirmed members. They were glad to receive this blessing. We organized a branch of the Church at Aintab. I do not think that such a condition will again arise there, as that of the Saints of the largest branch being left under the presidency of a Priest only. We found brethren there worthy of presiding, worthy of the Priesthood, and ordained them.
We also found that our adversary was not pleased with our work, nor with the work of the Saints. Persecution was raised against the Saints there, the mob disturbed some of our meetings, but the Lord was with us; none was hurt, and it caused more of a spirit of inquiry amongst the people. The government and the officers of the government were friendly to us and promised us protection. I found that it was mostly members belonging to different Christian denominations which raised this persecution against our people. The Turks themselves did not act in any way unfriendly towards us. They wondered what all this turmoil was about, and came to us and wanted to know what we really believed. While the Turkish government is not one that an American would like to live under, still it gives greater religious liberty to our Saints than they would be permitted to enjoy in countries like Greece, Italy, or Spain. The Mohammedans do not interfere with our brethren in the exercise of their religion, or forbid them to believe as they desire, but give freedom to worship God according to the dictates of their conscience. I may qualify this by saying that the Mohammedans themselves do not enjoy this freedom to the same extent as the Christians. If a Mohammedan should leave his religion and join any other religion in that land, he would be ostracized from the society of his relatives and friends, and would be in danger even of his life. But as to the Christians, the Mohammedans are willing that they do as they please in regard to their religion, and I believe the more contention they see amongst the Christians the more they like it.
When persecution was raised against us, the Saints were desirous of our appealing to the government for help, but on second thought we felt that this would not be wise. We did not like to raise strife between the Mohammedans and the Christians. It is not a long time since a great many Christians lost their lives in Armenia, and we were afraid that we might be the cause of starting this race hatred between the two parties, and we thought it would be better to suffer a little wrong than to be the cause of wrong being done. I told the Saints that I did not think the persecution would amount to much, and I knew that the Lord was able to protect His Saints.
Wherever the Gospel has been introduced it has always met with opposition. The Turkish mayor of Aintab said to me, when I asked him to look after our people, that they should not suffer any wrong at the hands of their enemies, "Wherever a message of truth is sent, those bearing it will suffer persecution." I knew the sentiment was true, but it sounded curious to hear it from his lips. He promised to protect the 'Saints, and I learn from that he has fined some of the mobocrats.
I believe there is a great future for our people in that land; and that there are many of the honest in heart, and I hope our brethren will find them. They love to hear the Gospel. They love the truth, and when they receive it they enjoy the Spirit, and the signs follow them that Relieve, even in that far off land.
In company with- Elders Hintze, Maycock, Larson and Nishan, the latter a native Elder, I visited the Holy Land, and traveled over the places so familiar and so interesting to us from reading the Scriptures. We examined the country and the conditions existing there carefully with a view of finding a place of gathering for the Saints.
You remember that in the forties Apostle Orson Hyde was sent to that land, and that he dedicated it unto the Lord, and for the gathering of the Jews. That land had been cursed on account of the iniquity of its people, and for hundreds of years it has been a testimony to the world that the Lord honors the words of his servants, the words spoken by the inspiration of His Spirit. Moses, thousands of years ago, was permitted to see the future and prophesied concerning it, warning the people of Israel that if they did not obey the commandments of God they should be scattered amongst the nations of the earth. You who have read history know how literally this prophecy has been fulfilled, and that the land given to Abraham and his seed has been occupied by strangers, and that the blessings of God which once made that land a delightful place in which to dwell, were withdrawn and it was turned into a barren and forbidding land. Brother Hyde went there and blessed it. The mission given to the servants of God was to proclaim the Gospel to the Gentiles first and then to the Jews. This was declared very early by the Lord as the mission given to His servants. His chosen people were not forgotten. They, also, should receive the Gospel message; but this time the first should be the last. The Prophet Joseph was inspired to send Brother Hyde to that land, and look at the change! A spirit has come over the Jews, over the House of Israel, to gather to 'that land. This was not felt by them before but since that time.
This spirit has come upon them in whatever part of the earth they dwell. We found in traveling- in that land whole settlements of Jews who have gathered there of late years. In talking with them (Brother Hintze being able to talk the language) we learned that they were not gathering in faith; it was not because they believed that the Lord had opened the way before them, but they had a desire to go there. A learned Jewish doctor told us that his people wanted to become again a nation. They longed to be once more a people upon the earth, and 'to own the land given to their fathers.
In Jerusalem we found quite an increase in the number of the Jews; during the last three years, fifteen thousand had settled there. The sultan is not pleased with this and has prohibited the Jews from emigrating into Palestine, but still the movement is going on, the Zion movement among the people of Israel, and they are looking forward to inhabiting that land. It is one of the signs of the times. Before long I believe the Lord will touch the hearts of that people and they will believe in Jesus as their Messiah. The Book of Mormon has the prophecy that when they do believe in Him that land shall be given them again as their inheritance. I do not believe that time is far distant. I believe that the time is hastening when the Lord will accomplish what he has spoken by His servants the Prophets.
While in Jerusalem we met a colony of Americans. These people have been impressed that they live in the last days and that the coming of Christ is near, and so they have sold out their possessions, taken their means with them to Jerusalem that they might live there when Christ comes, believing that He will come to Mount Olivet.
We spent a very pleasant evening with them. They lived in the united order, having everything in common, and they use their time in doing good, in going to the sick and helping the poor. So far they are doing a good work. Mrs. Spofford, the president and leader of the society, told us that in studying the Scriptures they have come to the conclusion that Christ will soon appear, and she said: "We were struck very much by the prophecy uttered by Zachariah in the 14th chapter, 10th verse, and also by the prophecy of Jeremiah, concerning Jerusalem, in the 31st chapter, in which it is foretold how the city of Jerusalem shall be built on certain lines. When reading the chapters closely we find that the time alluded to is the latter days, and it is said there that the city of Jerusalem should be built from the tower of Hananeel to the king's wine presses and from there to the valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes." She pointed out to us this fact, that the city is being built now exactly on these lines. They did not know at first where the tower of Hananeel was. Nobody seemed to know, and if you look into books giving descriptions of Jerusalem, that place is not designated, but a few years ago when they were digging the foundations of the Grand hotel in Jerusalem they discovered the foundations of a tower and among: inscriptions found was the name of Hananeel. This made them believe that this must have been the tower of Hananeel. Taking that for a starting point, and to the king's wine presses and down to the valley of ashes, Jerusalem is being built as thus described These people took this to be one of the signs of the times. I take it to be one of the signs of the times, that God is working upon His people, His chosen people, and that they are gathering to that land.
As for our people gathering there, we feel that our brethren should be well grounded in the faith before we move them, and still being in their infancy it would be better to strengthen the branches and have more come into the Church, and then gradually gather them down to a place selected in the Holy Land, and this is a work that will be accomplished. There will be a Zion in the East as well as in the West, "for the law shall go forth out of f Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."
Brethren and sisters, I delight in dwelling upon these things. I see the Lord is working with the nations. He is gradually accomplishing His purposes, and His work will grow in the earth, and all the opposition in the world will not stop it. He has revealed His will to men. He has established His kingdom upon the earth, and it will grow until it becomes, as Daniel saw, a kingdom that will fill the whole earth.
May the Lord help us to be faithful and true and to have a share in His kingdom forever, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.
ELDER MARRINER W. MERRILL.
An occasion for self-scrutiny—The labor committed to the Saints by the Lord—The Church the most perfect of all organizations—Local officers should be active and discreet—No unworthy person should be recommended to enter the holy Temples— The great work for the dead.
In arising before you, my brethren and sisters, I desire to make you hear the few words I may speak to you this afternoon.
In looking over this congregation, I realize that we all have an object in view in coming to the Conference from distant parts, and as was observed this morning, perhaps a large majority of the congregation here today is from remote parts of the country. We are here to be instructed. We are here to listen to the voice of the Spirit of the Lord. We are here to- have a refreshing from the Lord in our assemblings together during the Conference. It is' a good time to reflect, it is a good time to look over our history, that is our private history and our private life and the acts thereof. It is a. good time to sit in judgment upon ourselves and judge ourselves as to our standing and fellowship with the Lord. The Lord has been very merciful to us, very merciful to the Latter-day Saints. We are constrained to acknowledge the hand of the Lord in His kind dealings with us in this mountain country.
Those who have had a few years experience can see visibly that the elements have been tempered. The earth has been blessed and sanctified for the good of the people, so much so that it produces in abundance to the husbandman; it rewards him for his toil; while but a short time ago it looked as though the country was a barren waste. But we find that the Lord has blessed the earth; has blessed the people; has multiplied them in the good things of the earth, so much so that all, or seemingly all, have all the bounties of the earth.
The Lord has also given unto us the charge of His work in. the earth; given unto us the charge of organizing His people, to teach them the Gospel, and to send the Gospel to the distant parts of the earth, as we have been hearing this afternoon. This charge and labor has been committed to the Latter-day Saints, and we are obligated to the Lord to preach the Gospel in all the world, to every nation and to every people. This is the work that we have in hand; this is the labor that is marked out for us; and we come together from time to time at the conferences of the Church, and we usually hear from the brethren who are posted with regard to the spread of the work in other lands and in our own land, and we are led to exclaim: "Praise the Lord for His goodness and for His mercy and His long-suffering to us as His people."
We have, my brethren and sisters and friends, a beautiful organization, complete in all its details, such as no other people has; such as was not In the wisdom of man to give to the people. I often -think about it, think about how we are situated, the circumstances under which we are placed. We are not left to depend upon ourselves, upon our judgment in matters of interest that pertain to ourselves. We have been advised to seek counsel of each other, to seek the counsels of the Lord. In the midst of counsel. It is said, there is safety. I have thought sometimes that we did not appreciate this beautiful system that the Lord has revealed and made known to man under which we may live and have full fellowship with each other. I have thought, my brethren and sisters, that if we were a little more careful, and should give a little more attention to the organization that we have, Lt would save us a great deal of trouble and also save our brethren trouble.
I have said that I thought it was a good thing, and I say it from experience, for the authorities of a ward, the organizations of the Priesthood in a ward, to have their meetings frequently. The Bishop in a ward should call his brethren together, especially his counselors, and talk over the interests of the people there. Counsel together, call in others that have interest in the work of the Lord, and advise together about all matters relating to the interests and welfare of the people that live there. Old wards need this, and new wards also need it—to know the condition of all of the people and to specially know the condition of the young people, in this ward organization; and if it be found that there are matters of interest and problems that they cannot solve, then they may apply to the president of the Stake, and take him into their confidence and apply to him for the counsels of the Lord; and if the problem is such that he cannot solve it, then there is another source that he may apply to and get the mind and will of the Lord on all matters relating to the interests, relating to the welfare, relating to the establishing of the people in the faith of the Gospel. We' want to encourage faith, as was said this morning; we want to instill that faith into our children and into the young people. I believe faith is increasing in the land, however, but we find it will be through our efforts, through our labors that faith will be increased in the minds of the people.
I have had, in connection with others, some experience with people, young people especially, and middle-aged people, too, sometimes, who procure endorsements or recommends from the Bishop of their ward where they live, and I have been led to question whether the Bishop knew much about the person that he recommended, if he was fully familiar with his life. Now this should not be. We ought to be familiar with the affairs that are under our care and under our jurisdiction, and this can be brought about by holding as I said before, these councils. Why, we have an ex-ample of this in the Church, a striking example. The Presidency of the Church hold their council and call in the brethren with them and counsel upon given matters. They hold it every week, and counsel and talk over matters pertaining to the Church, the whole Church. Of course they are not supposed to come down to the details' of a Stake or to the details of a ward; they are looking after the general interests and welfare of the whole Church here and abroad in all the world. Such counsels in a ward capacity and in a Stake capacity would have good results; they certainly would have no bad results. If the Bishop of a ward were to call the Priesthood together they could talk over matters of interest to the ward, of labors that there are to accomplish, and take into consideration the propriety of making their influence felt in all the associations of the organization—in every association in the ward. These organizations and associations in the ward make up the grand total of the Church; they make up the grand total in the greater organization; and they have to be watched over and cared for and looked after with a diligent eye.
Now we are singularly situated; there are a great many things that need to be watched over, and that need to be looked after in order that we may retain the faith, retain our fellowship, retain our favor with the Lord. Somebody has to do it. The 1 Lord has made these appointments has given us these organizations, and when the Elders go out into the different Stakes of Zion, new wards are to be organized, new Stakes are to be organized, the matter is canvassed and looked over carefully, and good men are sought for, diligent men are sought for, in order that they may have a proper organization, in order that the people may have proper care and proper attention when the ward or the Stake is thus organized.
We might bring this down in detail even in a ward. When we have teachers, to select, when we have Priests to select, when we have brethren to select for various positions and labors, we want to canvas the matter, look it over, and counsel together about these 'things that the greatest good may be effected by our labors, and that the greatest good may be accomplished through our labors in our various callings in the ministry whereunto we are appointed.
It is desirable that no unworthy people go into the sacred places—go into the house& of the Lord. They would not want to go there themselves if they understood matters properly. It is not desirable to have unworthy people go. And who is to know? It is not fair to suppose that the President of the Stake in. endorsing these people personally knows them all.
President Taylor once said, in speaking on this same subject, and giving counsel and advice, that if they were unacquainted with the doctrines of the Church and had not had experience, they should at least have experience in a ward somewhere, before they sought to go to the Temple. He said they ought to be at least a year in. some ward under some bishopric, before they sought to go to the house of the Lord. We find it very desirable to have good people present themselves at the doors of the house of the Lord, who has entrusted us with this work, pertaining to our kindred that are passed away; has entrusted us with the work to have our families and our progenitors labored for and organized under the holy Priesthood; the children sealed to the parents from one generation to another, and to see that the work for the dead, as well as for the living, goes forward, as has been indicated by the erecting of temples to the name of the Most High.
I remember in my early experience in the Church that I never contemplated that there would be more than one temple. T thought that would be all that would be needed for the work of the dead; but as it has rolled on, as we gain experience, we find that the work of the Lord is expanding, and we are also expanding in our views with regard to the work of the Lord. We are more enlightened now than we were before the temples were built. We have greater desires in many respects to hunt up and look after our kindred, to look after the genealogies of our forefathers who have died without a knowledge of the truth. Now this is one of the things in connection with a great many others that we have to do. We must not lose sight of it in our day nor in our lifetime. We must not have it said when we go to " the other side of the veil, when we meet our kindred there and they perhaps ask us what we have done for them—we do not want to have to say we have done nothing for them. It would be much more desirable to say we have done all we could. We have hunted up and down the earth; we have traveled abroad to find records and genealogies of our kindred; we have done all that we could. How many of us can say this today, up to date? We have had four temples going now for some time and the people have been invited to attend to these matters, and how many could say up to date that they have done all they could for their kindred that have passed away? I presume that there are many that can say it and there are a great many that can't say it. It is advisable, therefore, my brethren and sisters, to not lose sight of 'this important labor, as well as educating and training our sons and our young people to 'become ministers of the Gospel to be faithful representatives, honorable representatives of our people and of our Church. I repeat that in the midst of these labors we should not lose sight of the importance of attending to these matters in the temples of the Lord, 'because there is a purpose and a design in these things, and those that enter into the spirit of it can comprehend it and understand it. When they come and make a commencement they want to stay longer, they want to stay a year, some of them, and continue their labors because they enter into the spirit of it. They see the importance of it more and more as they progress in the work.
There are a great many things for our consideration as live, active Latter- day Saints; a great many duties and responsibilities that are upon us, but there is nothing required at our hands but that we may accomplish through our diligence and our faithfulness in observing and keeping the commandments of the Lord.
I would urge upon you, my brethren, the Bishops and presidents of Stakes, who may be here, to try the experiment if you have not tried it, and have your counsel meetings occasionally, once a week or oftener; counsel together with your brethren, and whatever is done let it be done with common consent from the head of the ward, from the head of the Stake, from the head of the Church, let it all be done by common consent: then everything will be harmonious. We want to work in harmony, we want no friction, we do not want discord, we do not want contention among the Saints; we want peace and the good spirit of the Lord in our homes and in our families. We desire that above all other things. We want that union, that strength that will make us valiant in the work of the Lord, and the way to get it is to seek for it, look after it, and attend to this beautiful organization that the Lord has given us, and work together, counsel together in all matters pertaining to us spiritually, and pertaining to us temporarily. We used to do this, I think, more than we do now. Those of us who went up into Cache valley a good many years ago to open up that country and develop it. had to do this, because we were surrounded by the enemy, the red men, who were on our path. They killed some of our brethren and we were driven together. We had to talk and counsel together, and work unitedly. If we went to the canyon for anything we had to go in force. One man did not start off alone, it was not safe, but we went in force, we worked unitedly in that district of country. And thus it was under the wise counsel of President Young, who would come to us and talk to us like a father, told us what to do to save ourselves. Naturally we wanted to scatter all over the country, but there would not have been a town anywhere. He counseled with us and advised us what to do, and we can see and have seen the good in so doing. It is a good thing to do now, to counsel together and be agreed upon matters pertaining to our interests, and in doing this we learn to love one another. We learn to respect each other. We won't want to pass over the Bishop of our ward and go somewhere else; we won't want to ignore the President of the Stake and go to someone else; nor we won't want to pass over the Apostles when they come around, but we will have the spirit of humility, that we may take counsel together for our good. I am sure it will result in good to the wards and to the Stakes without doubt. We may know, through this means, everybody in our ward. The Bishop may become acquainted with every young man. If the president of the Elders' quorum, doesn't know him personally, why his brother knows him, his counselors know him, the president of the Elders' quorum knows him, some of the Priesthood there know him, some of the High Council may be there that may know him; what a nice thing it would be for the Bishop to be acquainted with all these affairs. Talk these matters over together, and not hurt anybody, but work for the salvation and unification of the people in the district where we live. We may find. In counseling together, that there are some families that are careless, that are indifferent. We may find also that the teachers are a little indifferent, and that they do not visit everybody, and they only make a visit occasionally. You may find in counseling together many things you might correct. You may find that some family is not living the lives of Latter-day Saints, not paying their tithing unto the Lord, and not doing their duty in helping to support the poor, and so on. They can (be kindly looked after, cared for, and watched over, and talked over in a gentle way, that they may be brought back into the fold and into full fellowship with the Church of Christ.
Perhaps I am lengthening out too long in my remarks. But I know, my brethren and sisters, that this work is true; I know it is from the Lord, and I bear record of this. I have had many testimonies from my youth up; testimony upon testimony with regard to the truth of this work, and I bear you this testimony, that this work is true, that the eye of the Lord is upon us, and He has organized His Church according to His mind and will, and according to the dictations of His spirit, and the brethren who stand at our head are inspired men of God. We have reason many times to bear record of this, because we have seen it made manifest so plainly to us. God bless you. Amen.
An occasion for self-scrutiny—The labor committed to the Saints by the Lord—The Church the most perfect of all organizations—Local officers should be active and discreet—No unworthy person should be recommended to enter the holy Temples— The great work for the dead.
In arising before you, my brethren and sisters, I desire to make you hear the few words I may speak to you this afternoon.
In looking over this congregation, I realize that we all have an object in view in coming to the Conference from distant parts, and as was observed this morning, perhaps a large majority of the congregation here today is from remote parts of the country. We are here to be instructed. We are here to listen to the voice of the Spirit of the Lord. We are here to- have a refreshing from the Lord in our assemblings together during the Conference. It is' a good time to reflect, it is a good time to look over our history, that is our private history and our private life and the acts thereof. It is a. good time to sit in judgment upon ourselves and judge ourselves as to our standing and fellowship with the Lord. The Lord has been very merciful to us, very merciful to the Latter-day Saints. We are constrained to acknowledge the hand of the Lord in His kind dealings with us in this mountain country.
Those who have had a few years experience can see visibly that the elements have been tempered. The earth has been blessed and sanctified for the good of the people, so much so that it produces in abundance to the husbandman; it rewards him for his toil; while but a short time ago it looked as though the country was a barren waste. But we find that the Lord has blessed the earth; has blessed the people; has multiplied them in the good things of the earth, so much so that all, or seemingly all, have all the bounties of the earth.
The Lord has also given unto us the charge of His work in. the earth; given unto us the charge of organizing His people, to teach them the Gospel, and to send the Gospel to the distant parts of the earth, as we have been hearing this afternoon. This charge and labor has been committed to the Latter-day Saints, and we are obligated to the Lord to preach the Gospel in all the world, to every nation and to every people. This is the work that we have in hand; this is the labor that is marked out for us; and we come together from time to time at the conferences of the Church, and we usually hear from the brethren who are posted with regard to the spread of the work in other lands and in our own land, and we are led to exclaim: "Praise the Lord for His goodness and for His mercy and His long-suffering to us as His people."
We have, my brethren and sisters and friends, a beautiful organization, complete in all its details, such as no other people has; such as was not In the wisdom of man to give to the people. I often -think about it, think about how we are situated, the circumstances under which we are placed. We are not left to depend upon ourselves, upon our judgment in matters of interest that pertain to ourselves. We have been advised to seek counsel of each other, to seek the counsels of the Lord. In the midst of counsel. It is said, there is safety. I have thought sometimes that we did not appreciate this beautiful system that the Lord has revealed and made known to man under which we may live and have full fellowship with each other. I have thought, my brethren and sisters, that if we were a little more careful, and should give a little more attention to the organization that we have, Lt would save us a great deal of trouble and also save our brethren trouble.
I have said that I thought it was a good thing, and I say it from experience, for the authorities of a ward, the organizations of the Priesthood in a ward, to have their meetings frequently. The Bishop in a ward should call his brethren together, especially his counselors, and talk over the interests of the people there. Counsel together, call in others that have interest in the work of the Lord, and advise together about all matters relating to the interests and welfare of the people that live there. Old wards need this, and new wards also need it—to know the condition of all of the people and to specially know the condition of the young people, in this ward organization; and if it be found that there are matters of interest and problems that they cannot solve, then they may apply to the president of the Stake, and take him into their confidence and apply to him for the counsels of the Lord; and if the problem is such that he cannot solve it, then there is another source that he may apply to and get the mind and will of the Lord on all matters relating to the interests, relating to the welfare, relating to the establishing of the people in the faith of the Gospel. We' want to encourage faith, as was said this morning; we want to instill that faith into our children and into the young people. I believe faith is increasing in the land, however, but we find it will be through our efforts, through our labors that faith will be increased in the minds of the people.
I have had, in connection with others, some experience with people, young people especially, and middle-aged people, too, sometimes, who procure endorsements or recommends from the Bishop of their ward where they live, and I have been led to question whether the Bishop knew much about the person that he recommended, if he was fully familiar with his life. Now this should not be. We ought to be familiar with the affairs that are under our care and under our jurisdiction, and this can be brought about by holding as I said before, these councils. Why, we have an ex-ample of this in the Church, a striking example. The Presidency of the Church hold their council and call in the brethren with them and counsel upon given matters. They hold it every week, and counsel and talk over matters pertaining to the Church, the whole Church. Of course they are not supposed to come down to the details' of a Stake or to the details of a ward; they are looking after the general interests and welfare of the whole Church here and abroad in all the world. Such counsels in a ward capacity and in a Stake capacity would have good results; they certainly would have no bad results. If the Bishop of a ward were to call the Priesthood together they could talk over matters of interest to the ward, of labors that there are to accomplish, and take into consideration the propriety of making their influence felt in all the associations of the organization—in every association in the ward. These organizations and associations in the ward make up the grand total of the Church; they make up the grand total in the greater organization; and they have to be watched over and cared for and looked after with a diligent eye.
Now we are singularly situated; there are a great many things that need to be watched over, and that need to be looked after in order that we may retain the faith, retain our fellowship, retain our favor with the Lord. Somebody has to do it. The 1 Lord has made these appointments has given us these organizations, and when the Elders go out into the different Stakes of Zion, new wards are to be organized, new Stakes are to be organized, the matter is canvassed and looked over carefully, and good men are sought for, diligent men are sought for, in order that they may have a proper organization, in order that the people may have proper care and proper attention when the ward or the Stake is thus organized.
We might bring this down in detail even in a ward. When we have teachers, to select, when we have Priests to select, when we have brethren to select for various positions and labors, we want to canvas the matter, look it over, and counsel together about these 'things that the greatest good may be effected by our labors, and that the greatest good may be accomplished through our labors in our various callings in the ministry whereunto we are appointed.
It is desirable that no unworthy people go into the sacred places—go into the house& of the Lord. They would not want to go there themselves if they understood matters properly. It is not desirable to have unworthy people go. And who is to know? It is not fair to suppose that the President of the Stake in. endorsing these people personally knows them all.
President Taylor once said, in speaking on this same subject, and giving counsel and advice, that if they were unacquainted with the doctrines of the Church and had not had experience, they should at least have experience in a ward somewhere, before they sought to go to the Temple. He said they ought to be at least a year in. some ward under some bishopric, before they sought to go to the house of the Lord. We find it very desirable to have good people present themselves at the doors of the house of the Lord, who has entrusted us with this work, pertaining to our kindred that are passed away; has entrusted us with the work to have our families and our progenitors labored for and organized under the holy Priesthood; the children sealed to the parents from one generation to another, and to see that the work for the dead, as well as for the living, goes forward, as has been indicated by the erecting of temples to the name of the Most High.
I remember in my early experience in the Church that I never contemplated that there would be more than one temple. T thought that would be all that would be needed for the work of the dead; but as it has rolled on, as we gain experience, we find that the work of the Lord is expanding, and we are also expanding in our views with regard to the work of the Lord. We are more enlightened now than we were before the temples were built. We have greater desires in many respects to hunt up and look after our kindred, to look after the genealogies of our forefathers who have died without a knowledge of the truth. Now this is one of the things in connection with a great many others that we have to do. We must not lose sight of it in our day nor in our lifetime. We must not have it said when we go to " the other side of the veil, when we meet our kindred there and they perhaps ask us what we have done for them—we do not want to have to say we have done nothing for them. It would be much more desirable to say we have done all we could. We have hunted up and down the earth; we have traveled abroad to find records and genealogies of our kindred; we have done all that we could. How many of us can say this today, up to date? We have had four temples going now for some time and the people have been invited to attend to these matters, and how many could say up to date that they have done all they could for their kindred that have passed away? I presume that there are many that can say it and there are a great many that can't say it. It is advisable, therefore, my brethren and sisters, to not lose sight of 'this important labor, as well as educating and training our sons and our young people to 'become ministers of the Gospel to be faithful representatives, honorable representatives of our people and of our Church. I repeat that in the midst of these labors we should not lose sight of the importance of attending to these matters in the temples of the Lord, 'because there is a purpose and a design in these things, and those that enter into the spirit of it can comprehend it and understand it. When they come and make a commencement they want to stay longer, they want to stay a year, some of them, and continue their labors because they enter into the spirit of it. They see the importance of it more and more as they progress in the work.
There are a great many things for our consideration as live, active Latter- day Saints; a great many duties and responsibilities that are upon us, but there is nothing required at our hands but that we may accomplish through our diligence and our faithfulness in observing and keeping the commandments of the Lord.
I would urge upon you, my brethren, the Bishops and presidents of Stakes, who may be here, to try the experiment if you have not tried it, and have your counsel meetings occasionally, once a week or oftener; counsel together with your brethren, and whatever is done let it be done with common consent from the head of the ward, from the head of the Stake, from the head of the Church, let it all be done by common consent: then everything will be harmonious. We want to work in harmony, we want no friction, we do not want discord, we do not want contention among the Saints; we want peace and the good spirit of the Lord in our homes and in our families. We desire that above all other things. We want that union, that strength that will make us valiant in the work of the Lord, and the way to get it is to seek for it, look after it, and attend to this beautiful organization that the Lord has given us, and work together, counsel together in all matters pertaining to us spiritually, and pertaining to us temporarily. We used to do this, I think, more than we do now. Those of us who went up into Cache valley a good many years ago to open up that country and develop it. had to do this, because we were surrounded by the enemy, the red men, who were on our path. They killed some of our brethren and we were driven together. We had to talk and counsel together, and work unitedly. If we went to the canyon for anything we had to go in force. One man did not start off alone, it was not safe, but we went in force, we worked unitedly in that district of country. And thus it was under the wise counsel of President Young, who would come to us and talk to us like a father, told us what to do to save ourselves. Naturally we wanted to scatter all over the country, but there would not have been a town anywhere. He counseled with us and advised us what to do, and we can see and have seen the good in so doing. It is a good thing to do now, to counsel together and be agreed upon matters pertaining to our interests, and in doing this we learn to love one another. We learn to respect each other. We won't want to pass over the Bishop of our ward and go somewhere else; we won't want to ignore the President of the Stake and go to someone else; nor we won't want to pass over the Apostles when they come around, but we will have the spirit of humility, that we may take counsel together for our good. I am sure it will result in good to the wards and to the Stakes without doubt. We may know, through this means, everybody in our ward. The Bishop may become acquainted with every young man. If the president of the Elders' quorum, doesn't know him personally, why his brother knows him, his counselors know him, the president of the Elders' quorum knows him, some of the Priesthood there know him, some of the High Council may be there that may know him; what a nice thing it would be for the Bishop to be acquainted with all these affairs. Talk these matters over together, and not hurt anybody, but work for the salvation and unification of the people in the district where we live. We may find. In counseling together, that there are some families that are careless, that are indifferent. We may find also that the teachers are a little indifferent, and that they do not visit everybody, and they only make a visit occasionally. You may find in counseling together many things you might correct. You may find that some family is not living the lives of Latter-day Saints, not paying their tithing unto the Lord, and not doing their duty in helping to support the poor, and so on. They can (be kindly looked after, cared for, and watched over, and talked over in a gentle way, that they may be brought back into the fold and into full fellowship with the Church of Christ.
Perhaps I am lengthening out too long in my remarks. But I know, my brethren and sisters, that this work is true; I know it is from the Lord, and I bear record of this. I have had many testimonies from my youth up; testimony upon testimony with regard to the truth of this work, and I bear you this testimony, that this work is true, that the eye of the Lord is upon us, and He has organized His Church according to His mind and will, and according to the dictations of His spirit, and the brethren who stand at our head are inspired men of God. We have reason many times to bear record of this, because we have seen it made manifest so plainly to us. God bless you. Amen.
ELDER JONATHAN G. KIMBALL.
An ambition that is not worldly—A great Missionary responsibility—Special reference to the Seventies.
I trust, while I stand before you, that I may be governed and influenced by the Spirit of the Lord; for I can assure you that I have only one ambition, only one desire burning in my heart, and that is, to serve the Lord and keep His commandments. I understand my labors to be to preach the Gospel continually among the children of men; that my calling and labors are well-defined; and I do not ask any Seventy in the Church of Jesus Christ to do what I am not willing to perform myself. I am a candidate in the Church of Jesus Christ to take up the cross and follow the Savior, and preach the Gospel to the nations of the earth; and I am willing, if the customs of the country will permit it and I am so directed by the Spirit of the Lord, to travel without purse or scrip, to addict myself to fast and to pray, and to live near unto the Lord, that he may soften the hearts of the children 5: men towards me. I have only one ambition, viz., to follow in the footsteps of my father and emulate his example. While I believe it to be my right, notwithstanding I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints, to work for any gift that can be given by this great nation or by the people of this State, yet I have no ambition in that direction.
I realize that there is danger in speculation; taut I claim the right to speculate, if I am honest and straightforward in my dealings. I claim that it is my right to become rich and to surround myself with the riches of the world, inasmuch as I use it for the good of the children of men. But I have no further ambition in that direction, unless I am specially called by those appointed to labor in the Church. I have, however, an ambition to be saved in the kingdom of my Father. I desire to understand the Gospel, the plan of life and salvation, and if there IS any greater ambition that can be given unto the children of men, I pray you to point out the pathway. I realize, my brethren and sisters, that there is a very great labor devolving upon this people. As was stated by President George Q. Cannon, we cannot say that we have the number of missionaries laboring throughout the nations of the earth that we had six months ago. In the Southern States alone there have been over one hundred and twenty-five Elders released since the 20th of June, and on the 20th of June there were five hundred and eighty Elders laboring in that mission; and Elder Rich, who presides, stated that there should be released from that mission another one-hundred and twenty-five Elders. Take that mission home, then, and there should be sent into that field of labor at least two hundred and fifty more Elders as soon as it can possibly be done. I feel myself that it is a time to thrust in the sickle; for the Lord has softened the hearts of the children of men towards this people, and Satan, in his anger, is trying to raise up persecution against our people, and it is already developing in the Southern States. I feel, my brethren, that we should put ourselves in a condition to undertake and carry out this labor, especially the Seventies, whose labor it is to continually preach the Gospel. We read in the Doctrine and Covenants that the High Priests are to preach as their circumstances will permit; but there are no such words found in the Doctrine and Covenants regarding the Seventies. I went into a quorum of Seventies only a few nights ago—one of the best quorums, too, that I have met with— and we found eighteen Seventies out of thirty-five that have never filled missions to the nations of the earth. So we find it all through the Church. It is my opinion that there are but few quorums in the Church in which you cannot find twenty Seventies that have never filled missions to the nations of the earth, and I look upon it as one of the most unfortunate things that can befall a man—to be robbed of that privilege. While it is true that many of our brethren have filled honorable and wonderful missions at home, yet we look to Seventies to fill up this number; and I pray the Lord to move upon them mightily by His Spirit, that we may be able to supply our brethren in the next year with three hundred Seventies that are willing to take upon themselves this labor. I realize, my brethren, that we should be charitable. I do know that our brethren are in debt, that they are in trouble and in difficulty. It is only two weeks ago since I personally interviewed eight bright, intelligent men who were perfectly able, physically, mentally, and, for aught I know, every other way except financially, to go on missions, and these eight brethren all declared that they were in debt and unable to go. I felt impressed by the Spirit to prophesy to them and to promise them that if they would have faith they could pay their obligations in the next six months, if they would make a covenant with the Lord that they would take up this labor and preach the Gospel to the nations of the earth. But it leaves a very grave responsibility upon the Bishops and the presidents of Stakes; for when you send that class of men, they leave behind them probably large families to be taken care of. I feel that that is one reason that so many young men have been called—men who were not Seventies—because many of them had no families to leave behind. But I say to you, my brethren and sisters, inasmuch as this is my calling, that it devolves upon this people, notwithstanding there is a great expense to it. From a human standpoint, it would seem as if it would take from our people nearly all their means to preach the Gospel to every nation. Yet, if I understand the matter aright, when the angel came, that was the message he delivered to the Prophet Joseph Smith.
I do not desire to occupy more of your time; but I did desire to call your attention to that part of our labor that is devolving upon the people. I pray the Lord that He will continue to bless us, and bless the earth, that it shall yield forth of its strength, so that our people may free themselves from debt, and take up this labor; that it may not be necessary to hunt and search as we now are under the necessity of doing, to find men to send forth to the nations. I pray the Lord to bless our brethren, the Apostles, for my sympathy is with them. I desire to say to the people that I hope the time will never come when it will be necessary for any of our people, through their strife and their troubles—their political troubles—to make any further trouble for their brethren; for when I look back to that aged servant of God —President Wilford Woodruff-who has passed away, and when I think of our other brethren who follow him, how true and how faithful, how full of integrity they are; they have never swerved, but they have been steadfast and have fought valiantly for the cause of Christ, and just as they get here and have established themselves seemingly permanently, and it seems when it ought to have been a time of peace and rest for our brethren, some of us who became restless and got the spirit of the world had to make more trouble for them. I pray the Lord that He may soften our hearts, that we may love the Priesthood, that we may honor them, that we may serve the Lord and keep His commandments and have the Spirit of God burning in our hearts like a living fire. This is my desire, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
An ambition that is not worldly—A great Missionary responsibility—Special reference to the Seventies.
I trust, while I stand before you, that I may be governed and influenced by the Spirit of the Lord; for I can assure you that I have only one ambition, only one desire burning in my heart, and that is, to serve the Lord and keep His commandments. I understand my labors to be to preach the Gospel continually among the children of men; that my calling and labors are well-defined; and I do not ask any Seventy in the Church of Jesus Christ to do what I am not willing to perform myself. I am a candidate in the Church of Jesus Christ to take up the cross and follow the Savior, and preach the Gospel to the nations of the earth; and I am willing, if the customs of the country will permit it and I am so directed by the Spirit of the Lord, to travel without purse or scrip, to addict myself to fast and to pray, and to live near unto the Lord, that he may soften the hearts of the children 5: men towards me. I have only one ambition, viz., to follow in the footsteps of my father and emulate his example. While I believe it to be my right, notwithstanding I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints, to work for any gift that can be given by this great nation or by the people of this State, yet I have no ambition in that direction.
I realize that there is danger in speculation; taut I claim the right to speculate, if I am honest and straightforward in my dealings. I claim that it is my right to become rich and to surround myself with the riches of the world, inasmuch as I use it for the good of the children of men. But I have no further ambition in that direction, unless I am specially called by those appointed to labor in the Church. I have, however, an ambition to be saved in the kingdom of my Father. I desire to understand the Gospel, the plan of life and salvation, and if there IS any greater ambition that can be given unto the children of men, I pray you to point out the pathway. I realize, my brethren and sisters, that there is a very great labor devolving upon this people. As was stated by President George Q. Cannon, we cannot say that we have the number of missionaries laboring throughout the nations of the earth that we had six months ago. In the Southern States alone there have been over one hundred and twenty-five Elders released since the 20th of June, and on the 20th of June there were five hundred and eighty Elders laboring in that mission; and Elder Rich, who presides, stated that there should be released from that mission another one-hundred and twenty-five Elders. Take that mission home, then, and there should be sent into that field of labor at least two hundred and fifty more Elders as soon as it can possibly be done. I feel myself that it is a time to thrust in the sickle; for the Lord has softened the hearts of the children of men towards this people, and Satan, in his anger, is trying to raise up persecution against our people, and it is already developing in the Southern States. I feel, my brethren, that we should put ourselves in a condition to undertake and carry out this labor, especially the Seventies, whose labor it is to continually preach the Gospel. We read in the Doctrine and Covenants that the High Priests are to preach as their circumstances will permit; but there are no such words found in the Doctrine and Covenants regarding the Seventies. I went into a quorum of Seventies only a few nights ago—one of the best quorums, too, that I have met with— and we found eighteen Seventies out of thirty-five that have never filled missions to the nations of the earth. So we find it all through the Church. It is my opinion that there are but few quorums in the Church in which you cannot find twenty Seventies that have never filled missions to the nations of the earth, and I look upon it as one of the most unfortunate things that can befall a man—to be robbed of that privilege. While it is true that many of our brethren have filled honorable and wonderful missions at home, yet we look to Seventies to fill up this number; and I pray the Lord to move upon them mightily by His Spirit, that we may be able to supply our brethren in the next year with three hundred Seventies that are willing to take upon themselves this labor. I realize, my brethren, that we should be charitable. I do know that our brethren are in debt, that they are in trouble and in difficulty. It is only two weeks ago since I personally interviewed eight bright, intelligent men who were perfectly able, physically, mentally, and, for aught I know, every other way except financially, to go on missions, and these eight brethren all declared that they were in debt and unable to go. I felt impressed by the Spirit to prophesy to them and to promise them that if they would have faith they could pay their obligations in the next six months, if they would make a covenant with the Lord that they would take up this labor and preach the Gospel to the nations of the earth. But it leaves a very grave responsibility upon the Bishops and the presidents of Stakes; for when you send that class of men, they leave behind them probably large families to be taken care of. I feel that that is one reason that so many young men have been called—men who were not Seventies—because many of them had no families to leave behind. But I say to you, my brethren and sisters, inasmuch as this is my calling, that it devolves upon this people, notwithstanding there is a great expense to it. From a human standpoint, it would seem as if it would take from our people nearly all their means to preach the Gospel to every nation. Yet, if I understand the matter aright, when the angel came, that was the message he delivered to the Prophet Joseph Smith.
I do not desire to occupy more of your time; but I did desire to call your attention to that part of our labor that is devolving upon the people. I pray the Lord that He will continue to bless us, and bless the earth, that it shall yield forth of its strength, so that our people may free themselves from debt, and take up this labor; that it may not be necessary to hunt and search as we now are under the necessity of doing, to find men to send forth to the nations. I pray the Lord to bless our brethren, the Apostles, for my sympathy is with them. I desire to say to the people that I hope the time will never come when it will be necessary for any of our people, through their strife and their troubles—their political troubles—to make any further trouble for their brethren; for when I look back to that aged servant of God —President Wilford Woodruff-who has passed away, and when I think of our other brethren who follow him, how true and how faithful, how full of integrity they are; they have never swerved, but they have been steadfast and have fought valiantly for the cause of Christ, and just as they get here and have established themselves seemingly permanently, and it seems when it ought to have been a time of peace and rest for our brethren, some of us who became restless and got the spirit of the world had to make more trouble for them. I pray the Lord that He may soften our hearts, that we may love the Priesthood, that we may honor them, that we may serve the Lord and keep His commandments and have the Spirit of God burning in our hearts like a living fire. This is my desire, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
ELDER GEORGE REYNOLDS.
This is God's work—Human weaknesses—Payment of Tithing—Every day duties.
I trust, my brethren and sisters, that while I stand before you this afternoon I shall have your faith and prayers in the testimony that I may bear and in the few remarks that I may make. It is very unexpected to me to have to stand before you at this time; but I always esteem it a privilege to bear testimony to the truth of the great latter-day work, and also to that which is being accomplished by the labors of our brethren. I understand and realize that we are accomplishing the work that God has designed; that we are fulfilling His purposes; that this is His work, and not ours; and that according to His good pleasure, according to His divine will, all things will be brought about, and the words of His servants will be fulfilled, until this earth is prepared for the reign of His Son. I have no doubt of this on my mind. All things, whatsoever they are, that the Lord has willed in the restoration of His Gospel, in the gathering of His people, in the building up of His kingdom, will be brought about. And though our efforts from day to day may seem but small and insignificant, yet in the end they will fulfill the purposes designed of God. Therefore, as a people we have every cause for encouragement. God will not leave us to ourselves. He will not forsake us. He will not give us over into the power of our enemies. He will not permit that His kingdom in this dispensation shall be overthrown. Though we are weak, though we commit follies, yet in these respects we are not different from those who have gone before us. We are told, in the various divine records that have reached us, that those to whom God gave His revelations, on whom He imposed the responsibility of performing His work, and who were His representatives to the people, were men of like weaknesses as ourselves. We are furthermore told in the Book of Mormon that God gives men weaknesses, that by having weaknesses they may be better prepared, be better able to do what He requires. There is one thing of which we are satisfied, that there is none that is perfect save God. We are instructed to seek to be perfect, even as God and His Son Jesus Christ ^re perfect; and that Jesus Christ so advised shows to me that it is possible for us so to be. The Savior not say this in derision, or in irony; but he so encourages us all that we may seek to reach that which is perfect as near as we possibly can, and by so doing we progress. We have long since learned that obstacles, as far as the Church of Christ is concerned, are things to be overcome. "When we speak of obstacles we mean that they are things that stand in our path, not to prevent our progress, but that we may triumph by overcoming them; for most of -us have learned with the youthful Prophet Nephi that God never gives a commandment to men but he provides the way by which that commandment can be obeyed. In other words, the Lord does not ask impossibilities of us. Many things that have been done by this people through the grace of God and by His help, in gathering together to these mountains, and the things that have been accomplished, since we gathered here, not only show" the overshadowing hand of God in our favor, that He has been with us all. the time, that He has protected us, and that He has directed His servants who have led us, but also, looked at humanly, we may say that this people have performed miracles in that which they have accomplished in the building up of this community in this intermountain region. But our history,, when read in future ages, should the world continue as it is now—which, of course, we do not expect; but if it were possible in the future to look on the present as we now look into the past, if our history could be read in this light, removed from the obstructions that at present obscure the view of things as they really are, we shall be surprised at what we have accomplished through God's help, the influence that we have wielded on the world, the results of the ministry of the Elders, and the changes that we have produced in the world's history. We are a small people, but, as we often say, our numbers are not commensurate with our influence. God has given us power—power above our numbers, and this is so because we are seeking to serve Him. He has also made us a wealthy people. We may not have many multi-millionaires in our midst; but when we take the riches of this people, head for head, I do not believe this wide world over we can find any community of a quarter of a million of people taking them as we would take ourselves, who are so well situated with regard to material prosperity as we are. And this is but the beginning. How often have we heard the servants of God promise us that if we would be faithful to God, if we would keep His commandments, if we would pay our tithing, if we would be honest with the Lord and generous in our donations, that He would bless us to an extent that we could not at present conceive. I believe this is so. The little that we have done has brought us reward. We none of us claim that we, as a people, faithfully observe the law of tithing; yet the Lord has abundantly blessed us. True, we have been thrifty, we have been patient, we have been persevering, we have been economical— all of which virtues tend to the increase of material wealth. But why have we been so? We have been so because it is the genius of the Gospel that men should be thrifty, economical and temperate in all things; and that the virtues which have an especial effect upon man's present condition should be observed as well as those that more particularly affect man's future life. The Lord is now blessing us abundantly in our flocks and herds, in our crops, and in all other respects in which we materially increase, and I believe He will look to us to honor His law. Now is a most convenient time, a most proper time—never a better time—when we should be faithful to the Lord in paying our tithes and our offerings; that the hands. of the servants of God who bear the responsibilities of this Church should be loosened; that they should not be held under the burden of debt and the responsibilities that weigh so heavily upon their shoulders—the responsibilities which President Woodruff felt so keenly, and which should not be upon those who bear authority and presidency in the Church of Jesus Christ. They should be relieved from these burdens by all of us doing our duty, by us observing those laws that we acknowledge, in our testimonies, come from God. These things affect us all. We are bound up In the Church. What would we be if it were not that we are members of the Church? What should we be without the Church? What should we amount to? Where would our salvation be? What could we accomplish alone and singlehanded, or in a disorganized condition to further the purposes of God and prepare men for the coming of His Son Jesus and for that time when the earth is to be filled with a knowledge of God, when His purposes are to be accomplished, not only in the redemption of the living, but also in the redemption of the dead. Without us, we are told, they who have gone before cannot be made perfect, and we without them would be insufficient for the fulfillment of the purposes of God. All the various generations of men have to be welded together in indissoluble links, so that as one great whole, as one united family, we may be prepared for the great final consummation, when all things that our Heavenly Father has created and made shall be returned to him in the condition in which they were when he pronounced them, at the beginning, very good. But in view of this great consummation we sometimes lose sight of the fact that it is little by little that all these great things are accomplished. We lose sight of that truth that is taught in the verses our children learn in the primary departments in the schools, that it is "the little drops of water and little grains of sand" that go to make up the ocean and the land of which this earth is composed. It is the little actions of our lives that go to make up our characters. It is the minutes that make the days, and the days that make the years, and the years that make eternity. So it is 'with us in our everyday walk; in the fulfillment of our everyday duties we shall bear off the kingdom of God triumphant; not so much by. deeds 'of heroism, that few of us may be called upon to perform, but by the daily, patient, continuous performance of our everyday duties, laborious though they may be, wearisome though they may be, tiresome though they may be, and drudgery though they may sometimes be. It is by the performance of these duties that we are building up the kingdom of God, that we are accomplishing His purposes, and that will eventually bring us that perfection of character that will enable us, through the mercy and blessing of God have God's approval, is my prayer, and the atonement of His Son, to enter into His eternal presence, and reign with Him through the years to come. May God bless you, my brethren and sisters. God bless this conference, that all that is said and done herein may through Jesus. Amen.
The choir sang the anthem: Light and truth the world are waking.
Benediction by Elder Charles W. Penrose.
This is God's work—Human weaknesses—Payment of Tithing—Every day duties.
I trust, my brethren and sisters, that while I stand before you this afternoon I shall have your faith and prayers in the testimony that I may bear and in the few remarks that I may make. It is very unexpected to me to have to stand before you at this time; but I always esteem it a privilege to bear testimony to the truth of the great latter-day work, and also to that which is being accomplished by the labors of our brethren. I understand and realize that we are accomplishing the work that God has designed; that we are fulfilling His purposes; that this is His work, and not ours; and that according to His good pleasure, according to His divine will, all things will be brought about, and the words of His servants will be fulfilled, until this earth is prepared for the reign of His Son. I have no doubt of this on my mind. All things, whatsoever they are, that the Lord has willed in the restoration of His Gospel, in the gathering of His people, in the building up of His kingdom, will be brought about. And though our efforts from day to day may seem but small and insignificant, yet in the end they will fulfill the purposes designed of God. Therefore, as a people we have every cause for encouragement. God will not leave us to ourselves. He will not forsake us. He will not give us over into the power of our enemies. He will not permit that His kingdom in this dispensation shall be overthrown. Though we are weak, though we commit follies, yet in these respects we are not different from those who have gone before us. We are told, in the various divine records that have reached us, that those to whom God gave His revelations, on whom He imposed the responsibility of performing His work, and who were His representatives to the people, were men of like weaknesses as ourselves. We are furthermore told in the Book of Mormon that God gives men weaknesses, that by having weaknesses they may be better prepared, be better able to do what He requires. There is one thing of which we are satisfied, that there is none that is perfect save God. We are instructed to seek to be perfect, even as God and His Son Jesus Christ ^re perfect; and that Jesus Christ so advised shows to me that it is possible for us so to be. The Savior not say this in derision, or in irony; but he so encourages us all that we may seek to reach that which is perfect as near as we possibly can, and by so doing we progress. We have long since learned that obstacles, as far as the Church of Christ is concerned, are things to be overcome. "When we speak of obstacles we mean that they are things that stand in our path, not to prevent our progress, but that we may triumph by overcoming them; for most of -us have learned with the youthful Prophet Nephi that God never gives a commandment to men but he provides the way by which that commandment can be obeyed. In other words, the Lord does not ask impossibilities of us. Many things that have been done by this people through the grace of God and by His help, in gathering together to these mountains, and the things that have been accomplished, since we gathered here, not only show" the overshadowing hand of God in our favor, that He has been with us all. the time, that He has protected us, and that He has directed His servants who have led us, but also, looked at humanly, we may say that this people have performed miracles in that which they have accomplished in the building up of this community in this intermountain region. But our history,, when read in future ages, should the world continue as it is now—which, of course, we do not expect; but if it were possible in the future to look on the present as we now look into the past, if our history could be read in this light, removed from the obstructions that at present obscure the view of things as they really are, we shall be surprised at what we have accomplished through God's help, the influence that we have wielded on the world, the results of the ministry of the Elders, and the changes that we have produced in the world's history. We are a small people, but, as we often say, our numbers are not commensurate with our influence. God has given us power—power above our numbers, and this is so because we are seeking to serve Him. He has also made us a wealthy people. We may not have many multi-millionaires in our midst; but when we take the riches of this people, head for head, I do not believe this wide world over we can find any community of a quarter of a million of people taking them as we would take ourselves, who are so well situated with regard to material prosperity as we are. And this is but the beginning. How often have we heard the servants of God promise us that if we would be faithful to God, if we would keep His commandments, if we would pay our tithing, if we would be honest with the Lord and generous in our donations, that He would bless us to an extent that we could not at present conceive. I believe this is so. The little that we have done has brought us reward. We none of us claim that we, as a people, faithfully observe the law of tithing; yet the Lord has abundantly blessed us. True, we have been thrifty, we have been patient, we have been persevering, we have been economical— all of which virtues tend to the increase of material wealth. But why have we been so? We have been so because it is the genius of the Gospel that men should be thrifty, economical and temperate in all things; and that the virtues which have an especial effect upon man's present condition should be observed as well as those that more particularly affect man's future life. The Lord is now blessing us abundantly in our flocks and herds, in our crops, and in all other respects in which we materially increase, and I believe He will look to us to honor His law. Now is a most convenient time, a most proper time—never a better time—when we should be faithful to the Lord in paying our tithes and our offerings; that the hands. of the servants of God who bear the responsibilities of this Church should be loosened; that they should not be held under the burden of debt and the responsibilities that weigh so heavily upon their shoulders—the responsibilities which President Woodruff felt so keenly, and which should not be upon those who bear authority and presidency in the Church of Jesus Christ. They should be relieved from these burdens by all of us doing our duty, by us observing those laws that we acknowledge, in our testimonies, come from God. These things affect us all. We are bound up In the Church. What would we be if it were not that we are members of the Church? What should we be without the Church? What should we amount to? Where would our salvation be? What could we accomplish alone and singlehanded, or in a disorganized condition to further the purposes of God and prepare men for the coming of His Son Jesus and for that time when the earth is to be filled with a knowledge of God, when His purposes are to be accomplished, not only in the redemption of the living, but also in the redemption of the dead. Without us, we are told, they who have gone before cannot be made perfect, and we without them would be insufficient for the fulfillment of the purposes of God. All the various generations of men have to be welded together in indissoluble links, so that as one great whole, as one united family, we may be prepared for the great final consummation, when all things that our Heavenly Father has created and made shall be returned to him in the condition in which they were when he pronounced them, at the beginning, very good. But in view of this great consummation we sometimes lose sight of the fact that it is little by little that all these great things are accomplished. We lose sight of that truth that is taught in the verses our children learn in the primary departments in the schools, that it is "the little drops of water and little grains of sand" that go to make up the ocean and the land of which this earth is composed. It is the little actions of our lives that go to make up our characters. It is the minutes that make the days, and the days that make the years, and the years that make eternity. So it is 'with us in our everyday walk; in the fulfillment of our everyday duties we shall bear off the kingdom of God triumphant; not so much by. deeds 'of heroism, that few of us may be called upon to perform, but by the daily, patient, continuous performance of our everyday duties, laborious though they may be, wearisome though they may be, tiresome though they may be, and drudgery though they may sometimes be. It is by the performance of these duties that we are building up the kingdom of God, that we are accomplishing His purposes, and that will eventually bring us that perfection of character that will enable us, through the mercy and blessing of God have God's approval, is my prayer, and the atonement of His Son, to enter into His eternal presence, and reign with Him through the years to come. May God bless you, my brethren and sisters. God bless this conference, that all that is said and done herein may through Jesus. Amen.
The choir sang the anthem: Light and truth the world are waking.
Benediction by Elder Charles W. Penrose.
SECOND DAY.
Friday, Oct. 7th, 10 a. m. Singing by the choir and congregation:
Come all ye sons of Zion,
And let us praise the Lord;
His ransomed are returning,
According to His word.
Prayer by Elder George B. Wallace.
The hymn which begins as follows, was sung by the choir:
Great God, attend while Zion sings
The joy that from Thy presence springs;
To spend one day with Thee on earth
Exceeds a thousand days of mirth.
Friday, Oct. 7th, 10 a. m. Singing by the choir and congregation:
Come all ye sons of Zion,
And let us praise the Lord;
His ransomed are returning,
According to His word.
Prayer by Elder George B. Wallace.
The hymn which begins as follows, was sung by the choir:
Great God, attend while Zion sings
The joy that from Thy presence springs;
To spend one day with Thee on earth
Exceeds a thousand days of mirth.
PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH.
The right of the Saints to participate in affairs of the Church—All should be interested—Spiritual and temporal affairs inseparable—Necessity for mutual aid, industry and enterprise-True order of equality—Principle of stewardship—Thoughts on home-building — Difficult personal experiences.
It is with a feeling of great dependence upon the Lord that I arise to speak to you for a short time. I sincerely desire an interest in your faith and prayers, that I may be guided in my remarks by the Spirit of wisdom and by the inspiration of the Lord.
I have enjoyed the spirit of the conference so far. I was heartily in accord with the remarks that were made by the brethren who spoke to us yesterday. I trust that the same good spirit may continue with us throughout the conference. It is a great privilege that Latter-day Saints enjoy, to come to this Tabernacle once or twice a year to listen to the voices of the servants of the Lord who have been chosen as our leaders, and to partake of the spirit which accompanies the gatherings of the Saints on occasions like this, and to participate in the business which may be brought before the people for their consideration and approval. We come together as officers and members in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, each and all of us having rights and the privilege to participate in the affairs of the Church, as to the spirit and principle of government, in the continuance of our organizations, in sustaining the measures that may be presented before us or that may come up for consideration by the people. We are commanded indeed that we shall meet together in conference to attend to the business of the Church. It is here that we have the privilege of expressing our faith and confidence or otherwise in those men who have been appointed to fill the various positions as general authorities of the Church, from the First President down to the last general officer in the Church. This is not a mere form. There is efficacy in it. It means something. And it is a matter that we should all appreciate and take part in intelligently, feelingly, and with an earnest desire in our hearts to see the Church of Christ established upon the foundation of direct revelation and inspiration from the Almighty. We should come here with a determination in our hearts to sustain that which is good, and to discountenance that which may not be good. It is our privilege and right to determine by the Spirit of God between the right and the wrong, between that which will build up and sustain the work of the Lord in the earth and that which in its nature will tend to disintegrate and destroy or to divide the people of God in the earth. Every member of the Church should be deeply interested in the welfare of the whole Church. Those who are called to official positions in the Church are not by any means the only ones who have an interest in the welfare or the advancement of the kingdom of God. Every true and faithful Latter-day Saint ought to feel as earnest a desire in his or her heart for the advancement of the cause of Zion and for the firm establishment of the principles of truth in the earth as President Snow, or his counselors, or any of the Twelve Apostles, or any of the leading authorities of the Church. This Church is not established for one, or for a few; but the great plan of salvation and eternal life, which has been revealed to 'man in this latter day, is for the purpose of saving and exalting all mankind who will yield obedience to the requirements that are made of them. It is not necessary to argue the point that all men must receive the truth and obey it in order to be benefitted by it. The Lord has spoken from the heavens, and men must become acquainted with this fact. This truth must be declared unto men, and they must receive it before they can be benefited by this great revelation in the latter day. All men must believe; they must repent of sin and forsake it, in order that they may be restored to fellowship with the Lord and be brought into His fold, be numbered as His children and become entitled to the special gifts and blessings of the Spirit of God which are promised unto those who are born again.
Having gathered together, as we have done, in these valleys of the mountains, we have great responsibilities resting upon us. It is our business, whatever the world may say about it, to look after the temporal as well as the spiritual welfare of the people of God. We cannot divide the temporal from the spiritual, or the spiritual from the temporal. We cannot give advice and counsel to the people calculated to benefit them spiritually that will not also benefit them temporally: neither can we give to the people advice or admonition which will be beneficial to them from a temporal point of view that will not tend to benefit and strengthen them spiritually. We are of a dual nature. We are not all spiritual, neither are we all temporal. The spiritual and the temporal are blended together. It is absolutely necessary in the cause of redemption, in which we are engaged, that the temporal welfare of the people should be looked after, and their temporal salvation secured unto them as well as their spiritual salvation. It is for this purpose that the Lord Almighty has gathered us out of the nations of the earth and called us into the tops of these mountains, where we can be organized according to the pattern that He has given to us, and where, by means of appointing officers in the Church to look after the people, all the people may be guarded from the evils of the world by the shepherds that are placed over them in the various organizations of the Church, from the Presidency down to the Teacher, who is called to minister unto the people in their homes. And it is not one of the least considerations that the people should be provided with employment, and be put in a position where 'they can obtain homes for themselves, so that they may all become, if they are not already, self-sustaining and, so far as temporal wants are concerned, absolutely independent. It is, of course, impossible for any individual to become entirely independent of others. The Lord Almighty has not designed that we should attend severally or alone in the world. He has made us social beings, and He has ordained that we shall help one another and be associated with each other. Therefore, no man or woman can be absolutely independent of all others. There is a certain degree of dependency that must exist. It is perfectly natural and proper that it should be so. And that consistent and natural relationship should not be ignored nor forgotten; for the moment we forget or ignore this principle we become, us It were, a law unto ourselves, and under those conditions we are an element of disorder and of contention. It Is a law of God, which should be recognized by us, that we should love one another, that we should extend the helping hand to each other, that we should seek to do good one to another, and that we should uphold one another in that which is right and acceptable in the sight of the Lord. But it does not follow that we should be dependent one upon another for the food that we eat, for the raiment we wear, and for the shelter we need. We will take, for instance, the family unit. In a family organization the wife assists the husband, the husband assists the wife, the children assist the parents, and the parents watch over and protect the children. Thus they are united together as one family. Now, in that family each member can do something that is worthy of his hire, so to speak. Every member of the household should be industrious, frugal and prudent, and diligent and earnest in seeking the welfare and benefit of every member of the family. The family should be in a position to take possession of a portion of the earth that the Lord has given to us, for an inheritance: and by means of industry and labor and the exercise of wisdom, they should be able to obtain out of the earth, and from the flocks and herds and the other means of wealth which the Lord has placed within our reach, all that is necessary to sustain the family and make it independent, so far as its food, raiment and habitation are concerned. And of all the families that compose the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were in a position to sustain themselves out of the earth or by the skill of their labor the whole Church would be independent in this respect. Of course it is necessary that labor should be diversified. It is not « necessary, nor would it be prudent, for us all to be farmers. It would not do for us all to be mechanics, or manufacturers, or merchants. According to the multiplicity of labor or of openings for industry that exist in a community will be the independence of the community and employment for the people.
But there are many people who seem to be unable to obtain labor, and they come around from time to time asking if the brethren cannot give them employment. This should never be in any community, and especially in a community of Latter-day Saints. This country, in the beginning, was called Deseret—the honey bee—signifying industry; Utah, in the early days, was likened to the hive of bees, in which every bee was busy and was supposed to be able to do something toward building up and strengthening the entire colony. This should be the condition of the people of Zion. Every individual should be in a position to add something to the wealth of the whole. Everyone should be increasing, improving, and advancing in some way, and accomplishing something for his or her good and for the good of the whole.
Then again, it is written that "it is not given that one man should possess that which is above another." Of course, there is some allowance to be made for this expression. A man who has ability superior to another man, and who is able to manage and control larger affairs than another, may possess far more than another who is not able to control and manage as much as he. But if they each had what they were capable of managing and of using wisely and prudently, they would each have alike. It is like the quart and the pint measures. You cannot put a quart into a pint measure; but you can put a pint into a quart measure, and then you can duplicate it. If the pint measure is full, that is all it has capacity to hold; if the quart measure is full, it can hold no more; and they are equal, so far as their capacity is concerned. I never expect to see the day when we shall come to the iron bedstead plan—that if a man be too long for the bedstead he will have to be shortened to fit it; or if he be too short, he will have to be stretched out. I expect to see every man a steward over his inheritance, and I expect to see every man manage his inheritance according to the light and wisdom that he possesses and in accordance with his capacity for managing. If his capacity is greater than another's he will have more than another, because he cannot be curtailed in his liberties or rights to do good and to magnify, to enlarge, to increase, to be greater and better, because there is another that cannot be as great or as good as he. What is meant then by this passage which says that it is not given that one man should possess that which is above another? I take it that in part at least it means this: It is not right for one man, because of superior advantages that he may possess in a social or financial way, or in any other way, to take advantage of others and to deprive them of that which naturally and rightfully belongs to them. I understand, too, that it is not right for men to combine together in order to oppress their fellow beings and to take advantage of them. The Spirit of the Lord forbids this, and commands that it shall not be in the midst of the Latter- day Saints. Furthermore, the Lord requires that when men have abundance they shall be as humble, as economical and as prudent in the management of their abundance as the man who possesses much less is expected to be prudent and economical in the management of that which is given to him.
I want to make an application of this principle in the matter of homesteads. Only a few days ago I visited a locality where I looked over a broad extent of country, containing large fields, some of them enclosed, some of them partly enclosed, others not fenced at all; many of them cultivated nicely and carefully, others filled with weeds and noxious growths. The latter were not being made useful to man, and I said to myself, why should this be? Here are opportunities for many men to be employed. Some man possesses here more than he is capable of controlling, more than he can wisely handle, and he is simply half-doing or' quarter-doing that which should be done, and in a sense he is depriving others of privileges that they should enjoy. I asked who owned a certain field there. I was told who owned it. What is the reason it is not cultivated? The answer came, Because the man that owns it has 1,800 acres of land here, more or less, and possessions in other parts of the country and he has more than he can attend to, so his farm here is left to go to weeds. He cuts one crop of lucern a year, whereas if it were properly attended to three crops might be secured. I said to myself, Here is an exemplification of the word of the Lord that it is rot given that one man should possess that which is above another. This man has more than he can attend to. That 1,800 acres of land more or less ought to be divided up. Other men ought to be invited there, and they ought to have the privilege of cultivating that soil, and getting three times the wealth out of it that this man gets. They would have an inheritance that they could attend to, that they could labor wisely upon, and that they could accomplish something with. Then, pointing to another field, I asked whose field is this. I was told that that belonged to another man, who had a thousand acres or more. Now, a thousand acres of land, when it is properly cultivated, will produce a great deal towards the sustenance of man, and a number of men could make a living off that land; whereas it is doing the man who now holds it, and who is unable to give it the proper attention, one-third the good perhaps it ought to do. This I consider to be unwise stewardship. Our sons and our daughters who are seeking homes are under the necessity of going to Idaho, or to Arizona, or to Mexico, or to Wyoming, to find land, when there are fields on fields nearer home that should be opened up and made into homes for our young men and women. Why should the wealthy, because they are wealthy monopolize the land, when they themselves cannot cultivate it as it ought to be? It is a wrong principle, and 1 think advice and counsel might properly be given to some of these rich men that have large tracts of land here in this valley in which we live or elsewhere which they cannot use wisely or profitably, to persuade them to divide it up with their children or with somebody else's children, upon such terms as the young people will be able to make homes for themselves near the parental roof, Instead of having to go a long distance, and leave the land here to be taken up by strangers. I will relate one other circumstance. T asked about another farm there, and was told that the brother who owned it possessed more than a, thousand acres of land, all under mortgage. How did he get it mortgaged? T asked. "Well, this good brother, in the land boom that we had some years ago, conceived the idea that he could make lots of money by securing land and then selling it out again at an advance; but the bottom of the boom fell out, the money that he borrowed to buy the land with drew interest, and he could not make the interest out of the land that he possessed; the result is that in a short time it will go into the hands of Eastern people, who have advanced money to this good brother. The meaning of that is that a large tract of land together with all the improvements thereon, will ere long go into the hands of strangers, to be held by them in large quantities and probably at exorbitant prices, so that our young people will be unable to purchase it, and will be compelled to go elsewhere to seek homes for themselves, or else pay large interest into the coffers of money lenders. This is all wrong. T said to my friend that it was a great pity, the people of the neighborhood could not form a union and each contribute a portion of the means necessary to create a fund sufficient to redeem this land and hold it among themselves. That, however, did not seem to be feasible, because every man had all -the land he could use, and nearly everyone had more than he could use, and therefore had their hands full to attend to their 'own affairs; besides, they did not have any means to spare to help another brother out of his trouble or to secure those lands to the people at home.
Now, I do not object to good people owning land here, no matter where they live or where they come from. Rut this is the point: You and I have come here to live and stay. We have not come here to speculate and make money, and then take it away. We came here to make our home, to live and to die here. But there are people who come here simply to make money: and after they have made money out of the people, they are only too willing to go somewhere else and spend it. That is not building up Zion, or the people at home. That is not looking after our interests here.
I do not know just how this matter can be worked out; but I am satisfied that there is a solution to it. If I had a thousand acres of land, and I could only attend to a hundred acres, I would try to get nine other families to come on to the land. I would parcel out my thousand acres between myself and these nine families; and I would say to them, "Here is the land; cultivate it, and pay me one of the products of your labor from year to year such an amount as you can afford until you have paid for the land, and then I will give you a deed to it." If I had more land than I could take care of. I would invite other men to come with me and build up a community, and thus give to others a chance to live as well as myself. Will any of the brethren do this that have more than they can take care of?
We have had a bountiful harvest. The Lord has blessed the earth, has made it extremely fruitful, and the people have been greatly prospered. New let us remember each other. Let us look after the poor and the oppressed and those who need counsel and succor. Let us each be interested in the other. Let us not leave it all to President Snow, and his counselors, and the Twelve Apostles; not leave it to the Bishops and their counselors, or to the official members of the Church. Let every man who possesses wealth or an inheritance in Zion, that can part with a portion of it to a brother in some reasonable way, do so in order to help his brother and to build up our country. Those who have come to live and to die in this work in which we are engaged, it is our business to look after them first; and when we have looked after them to the utmost, then do as much good to others as we possibly can. Our mission in the world is to do good to all mankind.
These are some of my feelings and thoughts in relation to home-building. Many of our people have had to move away from here and go to distant parts, separating from kindred and the homes of their birth, in order to find homes for themselves. This is all right; and whenever it's done it should be done under the counsel and with the knowledge and blessing of the authorities of the Church. every man holding a standing in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, if he wants to move from one place to another, should take his recommendation from the Bishop of the ward where he lives, to locate in some other place v.-here he can find members of the Church. I say this is essential. It is designed of the Lord that we should form communities, that we should associate together, be one people, and have one faith, one Lord, one hope, and one baptism; that we should be united in the labors of life, and the labors of life should be to promote the welfare of mankind, to increase the happiness of the children of men and their knowledge of those things that pertain to eternal life. For we have the words of eternal life, no matter what people think or say about it. We cannot stop to listen to their caviling, their disputations, and their denials of the truth. We know that we have received the truth. We know that we have received a portion of the Spirit of truth; not in its fullness, for we are not perfect. Now we only see and know in part. We never can see and know and feel perfectly until we overcome the weakness of mortality and bring ourselves into subjection to the laws of God. The Lord help us to do this, and strengthen us in every good desire of our hearts. For we must build up and beautify Zion. We should encourage the people of Zion to be industrious and self-sustaining. We must not depend upon one another for our existence in that sense we must be working bees in the hive of Deseret, industrious, prudent, instant in season and out of season. We must find something useful for our hands to do. If we cannot find it here let us go somewhere else and seek for it. If you can find out who these men are that own from 500 to 2,000 acres of ' land in this valley or elsewhere, more than they can attend to, go and make a proposition to them to take a hundred acres of their land, make it fruitful, and pay to them so much per annum until you have paid for the land. This, of course, is only a suggestion. It may not be worth very much; but any proposition tending to ameliorate the; condition of mankind or to open up the way before them, is worthy of being tried. There is nothing like trying except success, and trying earnestly means success. This idea of sitting down and saying, "I cannot," is a foolish thing. No Latter-day Saint should get to this condition. We should feel in our hearts to say, "I will, I can, I must; my necessities require it; God requires it; my fellow creatures require that I should do something for the common good; therefore I cannot sit down and be idle, like a leech, sucking my nourishment from the life blood of my fellow beings."
I talked a little in this strain at one of our late conferences, and was grossly, insulted for it. I received anonymous letters from people who said, "Try your own medicine." They wanted me to do what I had advised others to do. Now, to save such the trouble of repeating their suggestion, I want to tell them that I have not advised you to do anything that I have not done myself in the Jays of my youth. I know what it is to cultivate the desert soil. I know what it is to take water from the natural channels and to conduct it upon the dry, parched land, digging ditches for that purpose. I was not a blacksmith, but I know what it is to have to take off the well-worn tires from our old wagons—the worn-out tires that were used in crossing the plains—and taking them to the blacksmith, with a crooked stick for a beam, and with our crooked sticks for handles and get the blacksmith to make a plow out of our tires. I know what it is to herd cattle on the plains, and mountains, and in the canyons; for I have done it years and years of my life. I know what it is to go into these mountains and get wood for fuel, for the" winter's use, and also for those who would buy, in order that I might get my school books, or some clothing that I needed. I know what it is to go into the canyons and cut poles for fencing farms; for I have done that, too. Therefore, I have had some experience in these matters, and I only say to you that which I would do myself, if I were in the circumstances that I once was, or in the condition that some of my brethren are in today. Then, too, in those days we could not go to a brother and borrow of him that which we needed, because all the brethren were in the same condition. We could not borrow a plow, because our brother did not have a plow perchance; or if he did, he needed to use it himself at the same time. Furthermore, I know how to set a tire with rawhide. We used to have to do that. I know how to fasten the spokes of the wheel in the hub by wrapping green rawhide around the spokes to hold them together, when we could not do anything else. And we know what it is to work, and toil and delve for a living out of the barren soil, and that, too, before the curse was removed from this soil; for the curse of sterility was upon the soil when we came to this valley. Today there are tens of thousands of acres of land that are producing rich harvests of grain and fruits, which, when we came into this valley, could not be cultivated at all, and would scarcely raise a sunflower. I have seen the transformation, and I know what has brought it about. It has not all been the labor of man. It has also been through the blessing of God upon the soil. God has removed the curse, has removed the sterility from the soil, and has made it fruitful. Therefore, I give glory, honor, praise and adoration to God my Father, the giver of every good and perfect gift. I acknowledge His hand in the prosperity of this people in this State. I acknowledge the blessing of the Lord upon all the Saints, in that they have been preserved from the hands of their enemies, and from the spirit of apostasy and darkness, dissension and division; that we have had the spirit of union in our hearts, and of love one toward another and towards the Presidency and Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Let us continue to cultivate this spirit of union and love, and of community-interest. Let us adhere to it, cleave to it with undivided and unyielding pertinacity, that we may be indeed one, that we may be God's people; for unless we are one we are not His. God bless you, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.
The right of the Saints to participate in affairs of the Church—All should be interested—Spiritual and temporal affairs inseparable—Necessity for mutual aid, industry and enterprise-True order of equality—Principle of stewardship—Thoughts on home-building — Difficult personal experiences.
It is with a feeling of great dependence upon the Lord that I arise to speak to you for a short time. I sincerely desire an interest in your faith and prayers, that I may be guided in my remarks by the Spirit of wisdom and by the inspiration of the Lord.
I have enjoyed the spirit of the conference so far. I was heartily in accord with the remarks that were made by the brethren who spoke to us yesterday. I trust that the same good spirit may continue with us throughout the conference. It is a great privilege that Latter-day Saints enjoy, to come to this Tabernacle once or twice a year to listen to the voices of the servants of the Lord who have been chosen as our leaders, and to partake of the spirit which accompanies the gatherings of the Saints on occasions like this, and to participate in the business which may be brought before the people for their consideration and approval. We come together as officers and members in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, each and all of us having rights and the privilege to participate in the affairs of the Church, as to the spirit and principle of government, in the continuance of our organizations, in sustaining the measures that may be presented before us or that may come up for consideration by the people. We are commanded indeed that we shall meet together in conference to attend to the business of the Church. It is here that we have the privilege of expressing our faith and confidence or otherwise in those men who have been appointed to fill the various positions as general authorities of the Church, from the First President down to the last general officer in the Church. This is not a mere form. There is efficacy in it. It means something. And it is a matter that we should all appreciate and take part in intelligently, feelingly, and with an earnest desire in our hearts to see the Church of Christ established upon the foundation of direct revelation and inspiration from the Almighty. We should come here with a determination in our hearts to sustain that which is good, and to discountenance that which may not be good. It is our privilege and right to determine by the Spirit of God between the right and the wrong, between that which will build up and sustain the work of the Lord in the earth and that which in its nature will tend to disintegrate and destroy or to divide the people of God in the earth. Every member of the Church should be deeply interested in the welfare of the whole Church. Those who are called to official positions in the Church are not by any means the only ones who have an interest in the welfare or the advancement of the kingdom of God. Every true and faithful Latter-day Saint ought to feel as earnest a desire in his or her heart for the advancement of the cause of Zion and for the firm establishment of the principles of truth in the earth as President Snow, or his counselors, or any of the Twelve Apostles, or any of the leading authorities of the Church. This Church is not established for one, or for a few; but the great plan of salvation and eternal life, which has been revealed to 'man in this latter day, is for the purpose of saving and exalting all mankind who will yield obedience to the requirements that are made of them. It is not necessary to argue the point that all men must receive the truth and obey it in order to be benefitted by it. The Lord has spoken from the heavens, and men must become acquainted with this fact. This truth must be declared unto men, and they must receive it before they can be benefited by this great revelation in the latter day. All men must believe; they must repent of sin and forsake it, in order that they may be restored to fellowship with the Lord and be brought into His fold, be numbered as His children and become entitled to the special gifts and blessings of the Spirit of God which are promised unto those who are born again.
Having gathered together, as we have done, in these valleys of the mountains, we have great responsibilities resting upon us. It is our business, whatever the world may say about it, to look after the temporal as well as the spiritual welfare of the people of God. We cannot divide the temporal from the spiritual, or the spiritual from the temporal. We cannot give advice and counsel to the people calculated to benefit them spiritually that will not also benefit them temporally: neither can we give to the people advice or admonition which will be beneficial to them from a temporal point of view that will not tend to benefit and strengthen them spiritually. We are of a dual nature. We are not all spiritual, neither are we all temporal. The spiritual and the temporal are blended together. It is absolutely necessary in the cause of redemption, in which we are engaged, that the temporal welfare of the people should be looked after, and their temporal salvation secured unto them as well as their spiritual salvation. It is for this purpose that the Lord Almighty has gathered us out of the nations of the earth and called us into the tops of these mountains, where we can be organized according to the pattern that He has given to us, and where, by means of appointing officers in the Church to look after the people, all the people may be guarded from the evils of the world by the shepherds that are placed over them in the various organizations of the Church, from the Presidency down to the Teacher, who is called to minister unto the people in their homes. And it is not one of the least considerations that the people should be provided with employment, and be put in a position where 'they can obtain homes for themselves, so that they may all become, if they are not already, self-sustaining and, so far as temporal wants are concerned, absolutely independent. It is, of course, impossible for any individual to become entirely independent of others. The Lord Almighty has not designed that we should attend severally or alone in the world. He has made us social beings, and He has ordained that we shall help one another and be associated with each other. Therefore, no man or woman can be absolutely independent of all others. There is a certain degree of dependency that must exist. It is perfectly natural and proper that it should be so. And that consistent and natural relationship should not be ignored nor forgotten; for the moment we forget or ignore this principle we become, us It were, a law unto ourselves, and under those conditions we are an element of disorder and of contention. It Is a law of God, which should be recognized by us, that we should love one another, that we should extend the helping hand to each other, that we should seek to do good one to another, and that we should uphold one another in that which is right and acceptable in the sight of the Lord. But it does not follow that we should be dependent one upon another for the food that we eat, for the raiment we wear, and for the shelter we need. We will take, for instance, the family unit. In a family organization the wife assists the husband, the husband assists the wife, the children assist the parents, and the parents watch over and protect the children. Thus they are united together as one family. Now, in that family each member can do something that is worthy of his hire, so to speak. Every member of the household should be industrious, frugal and prudent, and diligent and earnest in seeking the welfare and benefit of every member of the family. The family should be in a position to take possession of a portion of the earth that the Lord has given to us, for an inheritance: and by means of industry and labor and the exercise of wisdom, they should be able to obtain out of the earth, and from the flocks and herds and the other means of wealth which the Lord has placed within our reach, all that is necessary to sustain the family and make it independent, so far as its food, raiment and habitation are concerned. And of all the families that compose the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were in a position to sustain themselves out of the earth or by the skill of their labor the whole Church would be independent in this respect. Of course it is necessary that labor should be diversified. It is not « necessary, nor would it be prudent, for us all to be farmers. It would not do for us all to be mechanics, or manufacturers, or merchants. According to the multiplicity of labor or of openings for industry that exist in a community will be the independence of the community and employment for the people.
But there are many people who seem to be unable to obtain labor, and they come around from time to time asking if the brethren cannot give them employment. This should never be in any community, and especially in a community of Latter-day Saints. This country, in the beginning, was called Deseret—the honey bee—signifying industry; Utah, in the early days, was likened to the hive of bees, in which every bee was busy and was supposed to be able to do something toward building up and strengthening the entire colony. This should be the condition of the people of Zion. Every individual should be in a position to add something to the wealth of the whole. Everyone should be increasing, improving, and advancing in some way, and accomplishing something for his or her good and for the good of the whole.
Then again, it is written that "it is not given that one man should possess that which is above another." Of course, there is some allowance to be made for this expression. A man who has ability superior to another man, and who is able to manage and control larger affairs than another, may possess far more than another who is not able to control and manage as much as he. But if they each had what they were capable of managing and of using wisely and prudently, they would each have alike. It is like the quart and the pint measures. You cannot put a quart into a pint measure; but you can put a pint into a quart measure, and then you can duplicate it. If the pint measure is full, that is all it has capacity to hold; if the quart measure is full, it can hold no more; and they are equal, so far as their capacity is concerned. I never expect to see the day when we shall come to the iron bedstead plan—that if a man be too long for the bedstead he will have to be shortened to fit it; or if he be too short, he will have to be stretched out. I expect to see every man a steward over his inheritance, and I expect to see every man manage his inheritance according to the light and wisdom that he possesses and in accordance with his capacity for managing. If his capacity is greater than another's he will have more than another, because he cannot be curtailed in his liberties or rights to do good and to magnify, to enlarge, to increase, to be greater and better, because there is another that cannot be as great or as good as he. What is meant then by this passage which says that it is not given that one man should possess that which is above another? I take it that in part at least it means this: It is not right for one man, because of superior advantages that he may possess in a social or financial way, or in any other way, to take advantage of others and to deprive them of that which naturally and rightfully belongs to them. I understand, too, that it is not right for men to combine together in order to oppress their fellow beings and to take advantage of them. The Spirit of the Lord forbids this, and commands that it shall not be in the midst of the Latter- day Saints. Furthermore, the Lord requires that when men have abundance they shall be as humble, as economical and as prudent in the management of their abundance as the man who possesses much less is expected to be prudent and economical in the management of that which is given to him.
I want to make an application of this principle in the matter of homesteads. Only a few days ago I visited a locality where I looked over a broad extent of country, containing large fields, some of them enclosed, some of them partly enclosed, others not fenced at all; many of them cultivated nicely and carefully, others filled with weeds and noxious growths. The latter were not being made useful to man, and I said to myself, why should this be? Here are opportunities for many men to be employed. Some man possesses here more than he is capable of controlling, more than he can wisely handle, and he is simply half-doing or' quarter-doing that which should be done, and in a sense he is depriving others of privileges that they should enjoy. I asked who owned a certain field there. I was told who owned it. What is the reason it is not cultivated? The answer came, Because the man that owns it has 1,800 acres of land here, more or less, and possessions in other parts of the country and he has more than he can attend to, so his farm here is left to go to weeds. He cuts one crop of lucern a year, whereas if it were properly attended to three crops might be secured. I said to myself, Here is an exemplification of the word of the Lord that it is rot given that one man should possess that which is above another. This man has more than he can attend to. That 1,800 acres of land more or less ought to be divided up. Other men ought to be invited there, and they ought to have the privilege of cultivating that soil, and getting three times the wealth out of it that this man gets. They would have an inheritance that they could attend to, that they could labor wisely upon, and that they could accomplish something with. Then, pointing to another field, I asked whose field is this. I was told that that belonged to another man, who had a thousand acres or more. Now, a thousand acres of land, when it is properly cultivated, will produce a great deal towards the sustenance of man, and a number of men could make a living off that land; whereas it is doing the man who now holds it, and who is unable to give it the proper attention, one-third the good perhaps it ought to do. This I consider to be unwise stewardship. Our sons and our daughters who are seeking homes are under the necessity of going to Idaho, or to Arizona, or to Mexico, or to Wyoming, to find land, when there are fields on fields nearer home that should be opened up and made into homes for our young men and women. Why should the wealthy, because they are wealthy monopolize the land, when they themselves cannot cultivate it as it ought to be? It is a wrong principle, and 1 think advice and counsel might properly be given to some of these rich men that have large tracts of land here in this valley in which we live or elsewhere which they cannot use wisely or profitably, to persuade them to divide it up with their children or with somebody else's children, upon such terms as the young people will be able to make homes for themselves near the parental roof, Instead of having to go a long distance, and leave the land here to be taken up by strangers. I will relate one other circumstance. T asked about another farm there, and was told that the brother who owned it possessed more than a, thousand acres of land, all under mortgage. How did he get it mortgaged? T asked. "Well, this good brother, in the land boom that we had some years ago, conceived the idea that he could make lots of money by securing land and then selling it out again at an advance; but the bottom of the boom fell out, the money that he borrowed to buy the land with drew interest, and he could not make the interest out of the land that he possessed; the result is that in a short time it will go into the hands of Eastern people, who have advanced money to this good brother. The meaning of that is that a large tract of land together with all the improvements thereon, will ere long go into the hands of strangers, to be held by them in large quantities and probably at exorbitant prices, so that our young people will be unable to purchase it, and will be compelled to go elsewhere to seek homes for themselves, or else pay large interest into the coffers of money lenders. This is all wrong. T said to my friend that it was a great pity, the people of the neighborhood could not form a union and each contribute a portion of the means necessary to create a fund sufficient to redeem this land and hold it among themselves. That, however, did not seem to be feasible, because every man had all -the land he could use, and nearly everyone had more than he could use, and therefore had their hands full to attend to their 'own affairs; besides, they did not have any means to spare to help another brother out of his trouble or to secure those lands to the people at home.
Now, I do not object to good people owning land here, no matter where they live or where they come from. Rut this is the point: You and I have come here to live and stay. We have not come here to speculate and make money, and then take it away. We came here to make our home, to live and to die here. But there are people who come here simply to make money: and after they have made money out of the people, they are only too willing to go somewhere else and spend it. That is not building up Zion, or the people at home. That is not looking after our interests here.
I do not know just how this matter can be worked out; but I am satisfied that there is a solution to it. If I had a thousand acres of land, and I could only attend to a hundred acres, I would try to get nine other families to come on to the land. I would parcel out my thousand acres between myself and these nine families; and I would say to them, "Here is the land; cultivate it, and pay me one of the products of your labor from year to year such an amount as you can afford until you have paid for the land, and then I will give you a deed to it." If I had more land than I could take care of. I would invite other men to come with me and build up a community, and thus give to others a chance to live as well as myself. Will any of the brethren do this that have more than they can take care of?
We have had a bountiful harvest. The Lord has blessed the earth, has made it extremely fruitful, and the people have been greatly prospered. New let us remember each other. Let us look after the poor and the oppressed and those who need counsel and succor. Let us each be interested in the other. Let us not leave it all to President Snow, and his counselors, and the Twelve Apostles; not leave it to the Bishops and their counselors, or to the official members of the Church. Let every man who possesses wealth or an inheritance in Zion, that can part with a portion of it to a brother in some reasonable way, do so in order to help his brother and to build up our country. Those who have come to live and to die in this work in which we are engaged, it is our business to look after them first; and when we have looked after them to the utmost, then do as much good to others as we possibly can. Our mission in the world is to do good to all mankind.
These are some of my feelings and thoughts in relation to home-building. Many of our people have had to move away from here and go to distant parts, separating from kindred and the homes of their birth, in order to find homes for themselves. This is all right; and whenever it's done it should be done under the counsel and with the knowledge and blessing of the authorities of the Church. every man holding a standing in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, if he wants to move from one place to another, should take his recommendation from the Bishop of the ward where he lives, to locate in some other place v.-here he can find members of the Church. I say this is essential. It is designed of the Lord that we should form communities, that we should associate together, be one people, and have one faith, one Lord, one hope, and one baptism; that we should be united in the labors of life, and the labors of life should be to promote the welfare of mankind, to increase the happiness of the children of men and their knowledge of those things that pertain to eternal life. For we have the words of eternal life, no matter what people think or say about it. We cannot stop to listen to their caviling, their disputations, and their denials of the truth. We know that we have received the truth. We know that we have received a portion of the Spirit of truth; not in its fullness, for we are not perfect. Now we only see and know in part. We never can see and know and feel perfectly until we overcome the weakness of mortality and bring ourselves into subjection to the laws of God. The Lord help us to do this, and strengthen us in every good desire of our hearts. For we must build up and beautify Zion. We should encourage the people of Zion to be industrious and self-sustaining. We must not depend upon one another for our existence in that sense we must be working bees in the hive of Deseret, industrious, prudent, instant in season and out of season. We must find something useful for our hands to do. If we cannot find it here let us go somewhere else and seek for it. If you can find out who these men are that own from 500 to 2,000 acres of ' land in this valley or elsewhere, more than they can attend to, go and make a proposition to them to take a hundred acres of their land, make it fruitful, and pay to them so much per annum until you have paid for the land. This, of course, is only a suggestion. It may not be worth very much; but any proposition tending to ameliorate the; condition of mankind or to open up the way before them, is worthy of being tried. There is nothing like trying except success, and trying earnestly means success. This idea of sitting down and saying, "I cannot," is a foolish thing. No Latter-day Saint should get to this condition. We should feel in our hearts to say, "I will, I can, I must; my necessities require it; God requires it; my fellow creatures require that I should do something for the common good; therefore I cannot sit down and be idle, like a leech, sucking my nourishment from the life blood of my fellow beings."
I talked a little in this strain at one of our late conferences, and was grossly, insulted for it. I received anonymous letters from people who said, "Try your own medicine." They wanted me to do what I had advised others to do. Now, to save such the trouble of repeating their suggestion, I want to tell them that I have not advised you to do anything that I have not done myself in the Jays of my youth. I know what it is to cultivate the desert soil. I know what it is to take water from the natural channels and to conduct it upon the dry, parched land, digging ditches for that purpose. I was not a blacksmith, but I know what it is to have to take off the well-worn tires from our old wagons—the worn-out tires that were used in crossing the plains—and taking them to the blacksmith, with a crooked stick for a beam, and with our crooked sticks for handles and get the blacksmith to make a plow out of our tires. I know what it is to herd cattle on the plains, and mountains, and in the canyons; for I have done it years and years of my life. I know what it is to go into these mountains and get wood for fuel, for the" winter's use, and also for those who would buy, in order that I might get my school books, or some clothing that I needed. I know what it is to go into the canyons and cut poles for fencing farms; for I have done that, too. Therefore, I have had some experience in these matters, and I only say to you that which I would do myself, if I were in the circumstances that I once was, or in the condition that some of my brethren are in today. Then, too, in those days we could not go to a brother and borrow of him that which we needed, because all the brethren were in the same condition. We could not borrow a plow, because our brother did not have a plow perchance; or if he did, he needed to use it himself at the same time. Furthermore, I know how to set a tire with rawhide. We used to have to do that. I know how to fasten the spokes of the wheel in the hub by wrapping green rawhide around the spokes to hold them together, when we could not do anything else. And we know what it is to work, and toil and delve for a living out of the barren soil, and that, too, before the curse was removed from this soil; for the curse of sterility was upon the soil when we came to this valley. Today there are tens of thousands of acres of land that are producing rich harvests of grain and fruits, which, when we came into this valley, could not be cultivated at all, and would scarcely raise a sunflower. I have seen the transformation, and I know what has brought it about. It has not all been the labor of man. It has also been through the blessing of God upon the soil. God has removed the curse, has removed the sterility from the soil, and has made it fruitful. Therefore, I give glory, honor, praise and adoration to God my Father, the giver of every good and perfect gift. I acknowledge His hand in the prosperity of this people in this State. I acknowledge the blessing of the Lord upon all the Saints, in that they have been preserved from the hands of their enemies, and from the spirit of apostasy and darkness, dissension and division; that we have had the spirit of union in our hearts, and of love one toward another and towards the Presidency and Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Let us continue to cultivate this spirit of union and love, and of community-interest. Let us adhere to it, cleave to it with undivided and unyielding pertinacity, that we may be indeed one, that we may be God's people; for unless we are one we are not His. God bless you, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Elder John W. Taylor
of the quorum of Apostles, was the next speaker. He testified to the importance of the subject treated by President Smith. The present prosperity of the Latter-day Saints was due to similar counsel given for the past forty years to them by the authorities.
The speaker had been preaching repentance to the world for some years, and he felt that improvement was necessary among the people in temporal as well as in spiritual affairs. He referred to some phases of social life in which improvement was necessary, stating that when such undesirable condition existed, they should be exposed and rooted out. The appearance of evil should be avoided, as even the innocent would be condemned if conditions seemed to be against them. The spirit of laxity in morals was referred to and condemned, and the people advised to do everything in their power to preserve the young from evil, that their inheritance, their sons and daughters, might be preserved to them in safety and purity.
Elder Taylor read from Lehi’s account of the prophetic dream given to him in the wilderness, in which the dangers of disobedience to the word of God were depicted, as illustrated by the degraded condition of the Lamanites. Such evils could best be avoided by the young people being diligently engaged in the labors assigned to them under the law of God. Only by purity and intelligence could they gain and retain the Spirit of God. Wherever contrary conditions existed, they should be corrected. Repenting with a broken heart and a contrite spirit was the means by which these evils could be overcome in the case of each individual. No one possessed of the Spirit of the Lord could look upon these evils with allowance, and without vigorous protest. Upon men holding the Priesthood rested largely the responsibility of eradicating sin from the midst of the people. Only those who remained pure would be prepared for the coming of Christ to the earth.
In the families of the Saints the doctrines of the Gospel should be taught, that as many as possible of the souls of our children may be saved. A constant watchcare should be kept over them, that their franchise in the kingdom of God may remain bright, and their salvation be sure. It was the design that the faithful ones should be given an inheritance in the earth in his celestialized condition. Therefore, their greatest desire should be to build up the kingdom and to be prepared, like the wise virgins, for the coming of our Lord.
ELDER JOHN W TAYLORS SERMON
Following is the full text of the sermon delivered at the Tabernacle on Friday, October 7, 1898, by Elder John W. Taylor, the transcript being furnished by the stenographer who reported the speaker:
My Brethren and Sister: I pray that AM Spirit of the Lord will direct what I may say unto you. I have had great pleasure during this Conference in to the counsels of the brethren and I feel that the importance of the question brought to our attention by President Smith cannot be overestimated. We are a blessed and a prosperous people today. What has made us so? It is the fact that the leaders of this Church have given a similar kind of counsel for the past forty years to this people.
I desire myself to refer to another phase of our religion for a few moments, as we are reminded we are dual creatures. I have felt fed in my soul from the first hour this Conference opened. I have been delighted beyond expression with the beautiful singing that we have in this house, and I rejoice to associate again for a short time with the Saints during Conference, for if I know my own desires, it is to build up the kingdom of God upon the earth and to do my humble part wherever I am called to labor.
Now I have been abroad preaching the gospel to the world—preaching repentance. We are commanded by our Heavenly Father to preach repentance, for it is a day of warning and not a day of many words, and nine times out of ten, when I speak, I cannot help talking upon this subject, because the commandments to the Elders are so plain regarding it. Now, brethren and sisters, all these temporal things that have been spoken of are of great value to us, and we should all learn the lessons of patient labor. I never in my life, in office work, or in the field, or wherever I have labored with mankind, allowed a man to do a better day’s work than I have done myself. Anyone who has labored with me in any capacity will understand this to be the truth. I speak of this to bear testimony of what has been said. But there is another thing that weighs heavily on my mind. Our feelings are very much influenced by what we hear. A gentleman stepped up to me at the Woods Cross station yesterday morning and told me he was going to move to the rural districts and take up land. I want more land, he said, but there is one thing that I do not like to move for, and that it is in the settlement I am going to is in Rhode’s valley, or Kamas prairie; and I don’t like to go for one reason, and is that I was informed that eight out of every ten of the marriages there have been of such a character that the wives have had children before they were married. Now, I CAN NOT BELIEVE that in Rhode’s valley the Latter-day saints are so rotten, as this man stated. I CAN NOT BELIEVE that they have so thoroughly rotted in the valley. Now this is a question that I want to speak of a little, because there are things that we need to speak of to the Latter-day Saints. It is said by the Prophet that we should be like watchmen on the towers of Zion, and that if we see the enemy approach, and we warn not that city, that their blood will be upon our heads, and as far as I am concerned as an individual, I propose to rid myself of it.
Another thing I am going to refer to. We as a people always put the imperfections of our people put the imperfections of our people out, and we do not cover them up, slick them over and varnish them, but we expose them like the physician that takes the knife and cuts out the ulcer in order that the whole body may be saved. This has been the practice of the Latter-day Saints from the beginning, because we are told that God does not look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. I was told by a very prominent gentleman in this city, that when he was driving his buggy down Main street late one Saturday evening, several gentlemen stepped up to the carriage. (I regret to say that we have some girls in our city as they do in other cities of the world, that promenade the streets late at night, paint their faces, and put on all they can get upon their backs and heads to make them attractive unto the men.) The gentleman referred to is here to verify what I say, you all see him that have eyes looking this way. These three young men say: We have been looking at these girls that are wandering up and down the streets, and there were dozen of them, and they said: We have information to convince us, that nine out of ten of these girls are immoral, and have lost their virtue. This gentleman said to the young men: These are the girls you have to choose your wives from, aren’t they? Yes, I suppose, if we ever get any, was the reply. I CANNOT BELIEVE BUT THAT IT IS FALSE. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT SUCH HORRIBLE IMMORALITY EXISTS right here in the center Stake of Zion; and I want to say to the girls that wander up and down streets with nothing to do, late on Saturday night, that you are looked upon as being immoral women. While conversing this gentleman another man came up, whose word I could not doubt, and he said: “I was informed by a lady in Salt Lake who keeps a rooming house, that after the close of practices by the Tabernacle choir, several members come to her rooming house for immoral purposes. I thought to myself is this possible? Is it possible that we can look upon the beauty of this Salt Lake Tabernacle choir and have a suspicion hanging over them like this? I cannot believe these things. Nevertheless, I say unto you my brethren and sisters, that I fear there is a disposition among some of our people to become careless and lax in their morals, to look lightly upon men and women who infringe upon the moral law. I feel strongly impressed to read the vision of Nephi the Prophet. If this is true, if there is a portion of truth about these EXAGGERATIONS how must you feel, fathers and mothers when your sons and daughters come to learn and sing the songs of Zion; when you send your daughter to trade and obtain the necessities of life, to hear that your daughters are viewed in this light by the young men of Zion. The several young men referred to are here and you can see them all of you. But I want to say to you that these things are NOT TRUE in their entirety, but I do believe there is some truth regarding these things. I want to read the vision of Nephi, the Prophet, to show you how the people of God have wandered away in every age of the world—how it was with Lehi’s family, I say unto you brethren and sisters, the wealth we will have in the morning of the resurrection will be our sons and daughters; and while it is necessary to move and live and have an interest on this earth, when we come before the bar of God in the morning of the resurrection, what will we have? We will have our sons and our daughters, or we will be the poorest persons there; we will be barren and unfruitful; and will be under condemnation if we have not taught our sons and daughters in the principles of righteousness. The account of Lehi’s dream as recorded in the eighth chapter of I Nephi, is as follows:
“And it came to pass that we had gathered together all manner of seeds of every kind, both of grain of every kind, and also of the seeds of fruit of every kind.
And it came to pass that while my father tarried in the wilderness he spake unto us, saying: Behold, I have dreamed a dream; or, in other words, I have seen a vision.
And behold, because of the thing which I have seen, I have reason to rejoice in the Lord because of Nephi and also of Sam; for I have reason to suppose that they, and also many of their seed, will be saved.
But behold, Laman and Lemuel, I fear exceedingly because of you; for behold, methought I saw in my dream, a dark and dreary wilderness.
And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.
And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.
And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.
And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.
And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field.
And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.
And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.
And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.
And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might discover my family also, I beheld a river of water; and it ran along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the fruit.
And I looked to behold from whence it came; and I saw the head thereof a little way off; and at the head thereof I beheld your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi; and they stood as if they knew not whither they should go.
And it came to pass that I beckoned unto them; and I also did say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me, and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit.
And it came to pass that they did come unto me and partake of the fruit also.
And it came to pass that I was desirous that Laman and Lemuel should come and partake of the fruit also; wherefore, I cast mine eyes towards the head of the river, that perhaps I might see them.
And it came to pass that I saw them, but they would not come unto me and partake of the fruit.
And I beheld a rod of iron, and it extended along the bank of the river, and led to the tree by which I stood.
And I also beheld a strait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood; and it also led by the head of the fountain, unto a large and spacious field, as if it had been a world.
And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which I stood.
And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.
And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.
And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree.
And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed.
And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth.
And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit.
And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.
And now I, Nephi, do not speak all the words of my father.
But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.
And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building.
And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads.
And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not.
These are the words of my father: For as many as heeded them, had fallen away.
And Laman and Lemuel partook not of the fruit, said my father.
And it came to pass after my father had spoken all the words of his dream or vision, which were many, he said unto us, because of these things which he saw in a vision, he exceedingly feared for Laman and Lemuel; yea, he feared lest they should be cast off from the presence of the Lord.
And he did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender parent, that they would hearken to his words, that perhaps the Lord would be merciful to them, and not cast them off; yea, my father did preach unto them.
And after he had preached unto them, and also prophesied unto them of many things, he bade them to keep the commandments of the Lord; and he did cease speaking unto them.”
Nephi, the Prophet, testified that the Lord also gave him a vision, which was the interpretation of the vision which his father had. (See Book of Mormon, chapter 15.) Today we see the Lamanites wandering forth as a dark and loathsome people upon the North and South American continent, and also upon some of the Pacific Islands. The curse of God has been upon that people, as it was upon the land they inhabited, as referred to by President Smith today. As the result of their disobedience to the commandments of God.
Now my brethren and sisters, what I wish to refer to is this: What are your sons and daughters doing? Are they fully employed in some useful labor? If they are carrying out the counsels upon this subject that were given by Presidents Cannon and Smith they would not be wandering away from the path of virtue into mist and darkness, in sin and corruption, as many of the Nephites have done. No, no, They would be as their fathers, following the lessons of patient labor and industry; they will be full of the spirit of virtue and energy. I want to say unto you my brethren and sisters and friends, God will bless this people if they win be pure; and if we are not pure, He will withdraw His spirit from us. The Spirit of God cannot—it is impossible that it will dwell in an unholy tabernacle. You might just as well put a bottle of ink into a jug of pure water and expect to drink it and relish it, as to expect the Spirit of God to dwell in an unholy tabernacle. The Spirit of God is pure. The glory of God is intelligence; it is refined and sensitive, and it will not abide with a man unless he keeps clean and pure. Whatsoever is light is truth; and want to say unto the sons and daughters of Zion: keep yourselves pure and unspotted from the sins of this wicked and adulterous generation. Remember the counsels of Jesus Christ: “If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out. If thy right hand offend thee cut it off for it is better for you to go maimed through life than to have your soul and body destroyed in hell.” I speak unto you that if any of you have sinned you might repent for Jesus has said: “Come unto me all ye ends of the earth and I will give you succor. Come one and come all and partake of the waters of life freely.” And I say unto you, my friends, if any have sinned they should do as Isaiah, the prophet, said: “Let the wicked forsake his way, the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord and He will have mercy upon him and to our God for He will abundantly pardon.” I say unto you if there are any under the sound of my voice that are seeking a way to be cleansed of their sins, repent with all your heart, and God will forgive you, if you will come unto Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit and covenant that you will serve Him. He will wash away your sins, for this is the gospel of repentance, and I say unto the sons and daughters of Zion: Woe unto you when the time shall come when you disregard the of virtue; the Spirit of God will be taken from you and you will be left in darkness. Christ says: “The light of the body is the eye,” speaking of the source from which the light is received into the body, “and when the light which is in thee becomes dark, how great is that darkness.” There are those amongst us, I am sorry to say, that have become so absolutely dark, and calloused in their minds as to look upon sin with same degree of allowance, and can tolerate and associate with it. But I say unto you, when man has made covenants with God, the Eternal Father, to keep His commandments, he cannot tolerate sin. Jesus says that unless a man is born of the water and the spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God; and I say that no man who has been born of the water and of the spirit can see sin and corruption and look upon it and sanction it and let it go by unnoticed. What will be the result upon the officers of the Church in the district to have referred, should this report prove to be true? I will tell you. They will be held responsible for not raising up their voices against these things, for not carrying out the Gospel of Christ regarding these questions. What become of Presidents of Stakes? I will tell you. If they allow these things to go unchecked, the curse of God will rest upon them as they have lost the Spirit of God, and will be barren and unfruitful in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ. I speak to the Elders of Israel, and to those that hold the Priesthood. They should magnify it and work for the Kingdom of God; should separate the sheep from the goats as it were; and when you see the sheep in the land of Zion (the Saints were often referred to as being the sheep of Christ, and He as their shepherd), when you see one with the scab, go and get some quicksilver and tobacco and rub it into their backs. I speak of these things that our people may become pure in the land. Why, Nephi would never have become pure if he had not kept the commandments of God. Who will be prepared for the coming of the Lord? Who will ascend into the hill of the Lord? The choir in their beautiful strains of music remind us that it will be those with clean hands and pure hearts and not sworn deceitfully. We are looking for the coming of Christ and He will come as a refining fire to purify the sons of Levi, as gold is purified. Who will come with Him? It is said 144,000, by the Prophet John, those who have not defiled themselves as with women, and who will be prepared to meet Him when He comes, a similar class of people who may be living on this earth. I tell you my brethren and sisters and friends that God never poured out his judgments upon the children of men in any age of the world except for the breaking of the moral law.
The President of the Church had a revelation directing the saints to put their houses in order, but it was hardly noticed. Do you teach your wives and children and talk with them in regard to these things. If not you are under condemnation before the Lord. It is the duty of the husband and the wife to teach their children the ways of righteousness, for unless the fathers and mothers teach their children the principles of the Gospel and do not strive to keep them from sin, and the children lose their faith and virtue, the responsibility will rest upon the heads of the parents. For the word of the Lord to the Latter-day Saints is, “that inasmuch as parents have children in Zion or in any of her Stakes that are organized that teach them not the principle of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, and baptism for the remission of sins, etc., their blood will be upon their heads. I feel greatly interested in the sons and daughters of Zion. This is how the Spirit of the Lord directs me, this is how the Spirit of the Lord has spoken to me. I did not write a sermon to come here and preach. I have felt impressed to speak as I have spoken here today. The Presidency and Apostles, who bear the holy Priesthood, have the right to speak and call the Saints to repentance. I say to the Latter-day Saints, keep your daughters off the streets at unreasonable hours. Look after them: know where they are. See that they are properly employed and do at how them to go to the dogs by the wholesale. We have stores that sell by the wholesale and others that sell by the retail. Let us look out for these things and keep our franchise bright and shining before the Lord. Nations may rise and fall, but all the kingdoms of the earth are in the hands of God, and He expects to give His Saints an inheritance when Jesus Christ shall come to reign in righteousness. There will be no man that will have five thousand acres of land in that day, as referred to by President Joseph F. Smith, if he does not need it. They will have just exactly what is right. God has not made this earth to destroy it until it has filled its destiny. God did not make any mistake in the creations of this earth. He did not organize it for nothing. The design of the Creator was that man should cultivate the earth and he is not going to change it just for our benefit. You will find in the great hereafter that this earth will be cultivated, it will be productive and filled with all kinds of beautiful flowers. As the words of Jesus and the holy Prophets indicate; this earth shall pass away; it will undergo a change but not until all be fulfilled that has been the holy Prophets regarding its destiny. There will be no place hereafter where there is nothing to do; there will be no idlers there. There will be labor, physical and intellectual labor for one eternal round of progression. It makes a man happy; it makes a woman happy, to be busily engaged. It has made God what He is. He stands at the fountain head of all intelligence. We are told by the Prophet that “as we are now, God once was, and as He is we may be.” This is why Jesus counseled His disciples, “Let us go on to perfection even as God the Eternal Father is perfect, for being made in the express image of God He thought it not robbery to be equal with God.”
Now my brethren and sisters, let us abide by the instructions we receive. Let us live in such a way that we may have that portion of the Spirit of God that we should enjoy as the children of Zion. Let us keep ourselves pure and unspotted from the sins of the world, that we may be prepared to meet our Lord. He has compared the kingdom of God to ten virgins, five of whom should be wise and five foolish. He did not liken the kingdom of the world at large, but the kingdom of God that was to be established upon the earth.
Let us follow out the counsels that that have been given at this Conference, and if we do God will bless us. God bless you all. Amen.
of the quorum of Apostles, was the next speaker. He testified to the importance of the subject treated by President Smith. The present prosperity of the Latter-day Saints was due to similar counsel given for the past forty years to them by the authorities.
The speaker had been preaching repentance to the world for some years, and he felt that improvement was necessary among the people in temporal as well as in spiritual affairs. He referred to some phases of social life in which improvement was necessary, stating that when such undesirable condition existed, they should be exposed and rooted out. The appearance of evil should be avoided, as even the innocent would be condemned if conditions seemed to be against them. The spirit of laxity in morals was referred to and condemned, and the people advised to do everything in their power to preserve the young from evil, that their inheritance, their sons and daughters, might be preserved to them in safety and purity.
Elder Taylor read from Lehi’s account of the prophetic dream given to him in the wilderness, in which the dangers of disobedience to the word of God were depicted, as illustrated by the degraded condition of the Lamanites. Such evils could best be avoided by the young people being diligently engaged in the labors assigned to them under the law of God. Only by purity and intelligence could they gain and retain the Spirit of God. Wherever contrary conditions existed, they should be corrected. Repenting with a broken heart and a contrite spirit was the means by which these evils could be overcome in the case of each individual. No one possessed of the Spirit of the Lord could look upon these evils with allowance, and without vigorous protest. Upon men holding the Priesthood rested largely the responsibility of eradicating sin from the midst of the people. Only those who remained pure would be prepared for the coming of Christ to the earth.
In the families of the Saints the doctrines of the Gospel should be taught, that as many as possible of the souls of our children may be saved. A constant watchcare should be kept over them, that their franchise in the kingdom of God may remain bright, and their salvation be sure. It was the design that the faithful ones should be given an inheritance in the earth in his celestialized condition. Therefore, their greatest desire should be to build up the kingdom and to be prepared, like the wise virgins, for the coming of our Lord.
ELDER JOHN W TAYLORS SERMON
Following is the full text of the sermon delivered at the Tabernacle on Friday, October 7, 1898, by Elder John W. Taylor, the transcript being furnished by the stenographer who reported the speaker:
My Brethren and Sister: I pray that AM Spirit of the Lord will direct what I may say unto you. I have had great pleasure during this Conference in to the counsels of the brethren and I feel that the importance of the question brought to our attention by President Smith cannot be overestimated. We are a blessed and a prosperous people today. What has made us so? It is the fact that the leaders of this Church have given a similar kind of counsel for the past forty years to this people.
I desire myself to refer to another phase of our religion for a few moments, as we are reminded we are dual creatures. I have felt fed in my soul from the first hour this Conference opened. I have been delighted beyond expression with the beautiful singing that we have in this house, and I rejoice to associate again for a short time with the Saints during Conference, for if I know my own desires, it is to build up the kingdom of God upon the earth and to do my humble part wherever I am called to labor.
Now I have been abroad preaching the gospel to the world—preaching repentance. We are commanded by our Heavenly Father to preach repentance, for it is a day of warning and not a day of many words, and nine times out of ten, when I speak, I cannot help talking upon this subject, because the commandments to the Elders are so plain regarding it. Now, brethren and sisters, all these temporal things that have been spoken of are of great value to us, and we should all learn the lessons of patient labor. I never in my life, in office work, or in the field, or wherever I have labored with mankind, allowed a man to do a better day’s work than I have done myself. Anyone who has labored with me in any capacity will understand this to be the truth. I speak of this to bear testimony of what has been said. But there is another thing that weighs heavily on my mind. Our feelings are very much influenced by what we hear. A gentleman stepped up to me at the Woods Cross station yesterday morning and told me he was going to move to the rural districts and take up land. I want more land, he said, but there is one thing that I do not like to move for, and that it is in the settlement I am going to is in Rhode’s valley, or Kamas prairie; and I don’t like to go for one reason, and is that I was informed that eight out of every ten of the marriages there have been of such a character that the wives have had children before they were married. Now, I CAN NOT BELIEVE that in Rhode’s valley the Latter-day saints are so rotten, as this man stated. I CAN NOT BELIEVE that they have so thoroughly rotted in the valley. Now this is a question that I want to speak of a little, because there are things that we need to speak of to the Latter-day Saints. It is said by the Prophet that we should be like watchmen on the towers of Zion, and that if we see the enemy approach, and we warn not that city, that their blood will be upon our heads, and as far as I am concerned as an individual, I propose to rid myself of it.
Another thing I am going to refer to. We as a people always put the imperfections of our people put the imperfections of our people out, and we do not cover them up, slick them over and varnish them, but we expose them like the physician that takes the knife and cuts out the ulcer in order that the whole body may be saved. This has been the practice of the Latter-day Saints from the beginning, because we are told that God does not look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. I was told by a very prominent gentleman in this city, that when he was driving his buggy down Main street late one Saturday evening, several gentlemen stepped up to the carriage. (I regret to say that we have some girls in our city as they do in other cities of the world, that promenade the streets late at night, paint their faces, and put on all they can get upon their backs and heads to make them attractive unto the men.) The gentleman referred to is here to verify what I say, you all see him that have eyes looking this way. These three young men say: We have been looking at these girls that are wandering up and down the streets, and there were dozen of them, and they said: We have information to convince us, that nine out of ten of these girls are immoral, and have lost their virtue. This gentleman said to the young men: These are the girls you have to choose your wives from, aren’t they? Yes, I suppose, if we ever get any, was the reply. I CANNOT BELIEVE BUT THAT IT IS FALSE. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT SUCH HORRIBLE IMMORALITY EXISTS right here in the center Stake of Zion; and I want to say to the girls that wander up and down streets with nothing to do, late on Saturday night, that you are looked upon as being immoral women. While conversing this gentleman another man came up, whose word I could not doubt, and he said: “I was informed by a lady in Salt Lake who keeps a rooming house, that after the close of practices by the Tabernacle choir, several members come to her rooming house for immoral purposes. I thought to myself is this possible? Is it possible that we can look upon the beauty of this Salt Lake Tabernacle choir and have a suspicion hanging over them like this? I cannot believe these things. Nevertheless, I say unto you my brethren and sisters, that I fear there is a disposition among some of our people to become careless and lax in their morals, to look lightly upon men and women who infringe upon the moral law. I feel strongly impressed to read the vision of Nephi the Prophet. If this is true, if there is a portion of truth about these EXAGGERATIONS how must you feel, fathers and mothers when your sons and daughters come to learn and sing the songs of Zion; when you send your daughter to trade and obtain the necessities of life, to hear that your daughters are viewed in this light by the young men of Zion. The several young men referred to are here and you can see them all of you. But I want to say to you that these things are NOT TRUE in their entirety, but I do believe there is some truth regarding these things. I want to read the vision of Nephi, the Prophet, to show you how the people of God have wandered away in every age of the world—how it was with Lehi’s family, I say unto you brethren and sisters, the wealth we will have in the morning of the resurrection will be our sons and daughters; and while it is necessary to move and live and have an interest on this earth, when we come before the bar of God in the morning of the resurrection, what will we have? We will have our sons and our daughters, or we will be the poorest persons there; we will be barren and unfruitful; and will be under condemnation if we have not taught our sons and daughters in the principles of righteousness. The account of Lehi’s dream as recorded in the eighth chapter of I Nephi, is as follows:
“And it came to pass that we had gathered together all manner of seeds of every kind, both of grain of every kind, and also of the seeds of fruit of every kind.
And it came to pass that while my father tarried in the wilderness he spake unto us, saying: Behold, I have dreamed a dream; or, in other words, I have seen a vision.
And behold, because of the thing which I have seen, I have reason to rejoice in the Lord because of Nephi and also of Sam; for I have reason to suppose that they, and also many of their seed, will be saved.
But behold, Laman and Lemuel, I fear exceedingly because of you; for behold, methought I saw in my dream, a dark and dreary wilderness.
And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.
And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.
And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.
And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.
And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field.
And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.
And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.
And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.
And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might discover my family also, I beheld a river of water; and it ran along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the fruit.
And I looked to behold from whence it came; and I saw the head thereof a little way off; and at the head thereof I beheld your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi; and they stood as if they knew not whither they should go.
And it came to pass that I beckoned unto them; and I also did say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me, and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit.
And it came to pass that they did come unto me and partake of the fruit also.
And it came to pass that I was desirous that Laman and Lemuel should come and partake of the fruit also; wherefore, I cast mine eyes towards the head of the river, that perhaps I might see them.
And it came to pass that I saw them, but they would not come unto me and partake of the fruit.
And I beheld a rod of iron, and it extended along the bank of the river, and led to the tree by which I stood.
And I also beheld a strait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood; and it also led by the head of the fountain, unto a large and spacious field, as if it had been a world.
And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which I stood.
And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.
And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.
And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree.
And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed.
And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth.
And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit.
And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.
And now I, Nephi, do not speak all the words of my father.
But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.
And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building.
And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads.
And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not.
These are the words of my father: For as many as heeded them, had fallen away.
And Laman and Lemuel partook not of the fruit, said my father.
And it came to pass after my father had spoken all the words of his dream or vision, which were many, he said unto us, because of these things which he saw in a vision, he exceedingly feared for Laman and Lemuel; yea, he feared lest they should be cast off from the presence of the Lord.
And he did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender parent, that they would hearken to his words, that perhaps the Lord would be merciful to them, and not cast them off; yea, my father did preach unto them.
And after he had preached unto them, and also prophesied unto them of many things, he bade them to keep the commandments of the Lord; and he did cease speaking unto them.”
Nephi, the Prophet, testified that the Lord also gave him a vision, which was the interpretation of the vision which his father had. (See Book of Mormon, chapter 15.) Today we see the Lamanites wandering forth as a dark and loathsome people upon the North and South American continent, and also upon some of the Pacific Islands. The curse of God has been upon that people, as it was upon the land they inhabited, as referred to by President Smith today. As the result of their disobedience to the commandments of God.
Now my brethren and sisters, what I wish to refer to is this: What are your sons and daughters doing? Are they fully employed in some useful labor? If they are carrying out the counsels upon this subject that were given by Presidents Cannon and Smith they would not be wandering away from the path of virtue into mist and darkness, in sin and corruption, as many of the Nephites have done. No, no, They would be as their fathers, following the lessons of patient labor and industry; they will be full of the spirit of virtue and energy. I want to say unto you my brethren and sisters and friends, God will bless this people if they win be pure; and if we are not pure, He will withdraw His spirit from us. The Spirit of God cannot—it is impossible that it will dwell in an unholy tabernacle. You might just as well put a bottle of ink into a jug of pure water and expect to drink it and relish it, as to expect the Spirit of God to dwell in an unholy tabernacle. The Spirit of God is pure. The glory of God is intelligence; it is refined and sensitive, and it will not abide with a man unless he keeps clean and pure. Whatsoever is light is truth; and want to say unto the sons and daughters of Zion: keep yourselves pure and unspotted from the sins of this wicked and adulterous generation. Remember the counsels of Jesus Christ: “If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out. If thy right hand offend thee cut it off for it is better for you to go maimed through life than to have your soul and body destroyed in hell.” I speak unto you that if any of you have sinned you might repent for Jesus has said: “Come unto me all ye ends of the earth and I will give you succor. Come one and come all and partake of the waters of life freely.” And I say unto you, my friends, if any have sinned they should do as Isaiah, the prophet, said: “Let the wicked forsake his way, the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord and He will have mercy upon him and to our God for He will abundantly pardon.” I say unto you if there are any under the sound of my voice that are seeking a way to be cleansed of their sins, repent with all your heart, and God will forgive you, if you will come unto Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit and covenant that you will serve Him. He will wash away your sins, for this is the gospel of repentance, and I say unto the sons and daughters of Zion: Woe unto you when the time shall come when you disregard the of virtue; the Spirit of God will be taken from you and you will be left in darkness. Christ says: “The light of the body is the eye,” speaking of the source from which the light is received into the body, “and when the light which is in thee becomes dark, how great is that darkness.” There are those amongst us, I am sorry to say, that have become so absolutely dark, and calloused in their minds as to look upon sin with same degree of allowance, and can tolerate and associate with it. But I say unto you, when man has made covenants with God, the Eternal Father, to keep His commandments, he cannot tolerate sin. Jesus says that unless a man is born of the water and the spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God; and I say that no man who has been born of the water and of the spirit can see sin and corruption and look upon it and sanction it and let it go by unnoticed. What will be the result upon the officers of the Church in the district to have referred, should this report prove to be true? I will tell you. They will be held responsible for not raising up their voices against these things, for not carrying out the Gospel of Christ regarding these questions. What become of Presidents of Stakes? I will tell you. If they allow these things to go unchecked, the curse of God will rest upon them as they have lost the Spirit of God, and will be barren and unfruitful in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ. I speak to the Elders of Israel, and to those that hold the Priesthood. They should magnify it and work for the Kingdom of God; should separate the sheep from the goats as it were; and when you see the sheep in the land of Zion (the Saints were often referred to as being the sheep of Christ, and He as their shepherd), when you see one with the scab, go and get some quicksilver and tobacco and rub it into their backs. I speak of these things that our people may become pure in the land. Why, Nephi would never have become pure if he had not kept the commandments of God. Who will be prepared for the coming of the Lord? Who will ascend into the hill of the Lord? The choir in their beautiful strains of music remind us that it will be those with clean hands and pure hearts and not sworn deceitfully. We are looking for the coming of Christ and He will come as a refining fire to purify the sons of Levi, as gold is purified. Who will come with Him? It is said 144,000, by the Prophet John, those who have not defiled themselves as with women, and who will be prepared to meet Him when He comes, a similar class of people who may be living on this earth. I tell you my brethren and sisters and friends that God never poured out his judgments upon the children of men in any age of the world except for the breaking of the moral law.
The President of the Church had a revelation directing the saints to put their houses in order, but it was hardly noticed. Do you teach your wives and children and talk with them in regard to these things. If not you are under condemnation before the Lord. It is the duty of the husband and the wife to teach their children the ways of righteousness, for unless the fathers and mothers teach their children the principles of the Gospel and do not strive to keep them from sin, and the children lose their faith and virtue, the responsibility will rest upon the heads of the parents. For the word of the Lord to the Latter-day Saints is, “that inasmuch as parents have children in Zion or in any of her Stakes that are organized that teach them not the principle of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, and baptism for the remission of sins, etc., their blood will be upon their heads. I feel greatly interested in the sons and daughters of Zion. This is how the Spirit of the Lord directs me, this is how the Spirit of the Lord has spoken to me. I did not write a sermon to come here and preach. I have felt impressed to speak as I have spoken here today. The Presidency and Apostles, who bear the holy Priesthood, have the right to speak and call the Saints to repentance. I say to the Latter-day Saints, keep your daughters off the streets at unreasonable hours. Look after them: know where they are. See that they are properly employed and do at how them to go to the dogs by the wholesale. We have stores that sell by the wholesale and others that sell by the retail. Let us look out for these things and keep our franchise bright and shining before the Lord. Nations may rise and fall, but all the kingdoms of the earth are in the hands of God, and He expects to give His Saints an inheritance when Jesus Christ shall come to reign in righteousness. There will be no man that will have five thousand acres of land in that day, as referred to by President Joseph F. Smith, if he does not need it. They will have just exactly what is right. God has not made this earth to destroy it until it has filled its destiny. God did not make any mistake in the creations of this earth. He did not organize it for nothing. The design of the Creator was that man should cultivate the earth and he is not going to change it just for our benefit. You will find in the great hereafter that this earth will be cultivated, it will be productive and filled with all kinds of beautiful flowers. As the words of Jesus and the holy Prophets indicate; this earth shall pass away; it will undergo a change but not until all be fulfilled that has been the holy Prophets regarding its destiny. There will be no place hereafter where there is nothing to do; there will be no idlers there. There will be labor, physical and intellectual labor for one eternal round of progression. It makes a man happy; it makes a woman happy, to be busily engaged. It has made God what He is. He stands at the fountain head of all intelligence. We are told by the Prophet that “as we are now, God once was, and as He is we may be.” This is why Jesus counseled His disciples, “Let us go on to perfection even as God the Eternal Father is perfect, for being made in the express image of God He thought it not robbery to be equal with God.”
Now my brethren and sisters, let us abide by the instructions we receive. Let us live in such a way that we may have that portion of the Spirit of God that we should enjoy as the children of Zion. Let us keep ourselves pure and unspotted from the sins of the world, that we may be prepared to meet our Lord. He has compared the kingdom of God to ten virgins, five of whom should be wise and five foolish. He did not liken the kingdom of the world at large, but the kingdom of God that was to be established upon the earth.
Let us follow out the counsels that that have been given at this Conference, and if we do God will bless us. God bless you all. Amen.
President George Q. Cannon
briefly expressed the mind of the First Presidency in regard to some specific allusions made by Elder John W. Taylor in the course of the latter’s remarks in relation to the subject of morality in the community.
PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNONS REMARKS
We have also been permitted to publish in full the remarks of President George Q. Cannon on the same occasion. President Cannon said:
“The remarks which have been made by Elder John W. Taylor have been exceedingly pointed. No doubt there are conditions existing in our settlements, and in this city, that we would be greatly gratified if they could be corrected. It is too true, that there are births after the marriage that are untimely. We have such cases brought to our attention. In some instances the first children are born a little quicker than those subsequently. We deplore this very much, and take every step we can to have a reformation in this respect, for such conduct is not according to Godliness and the principles of the Gospel, as Elder Taylor has told us. But we have regretted—I speak for the First Presidency—that there should be any mention of any particular place as being worse in this regard than others; for we have no reason to believe that this is the case. Therefore, it was with regret that we heard mentioned Kamas Prairie or Rhodes Valley. The Saints from that place—many of whom I know to be good, faithful people—would feel to a certain extent—I won’t say disgraced, but hurt by a public announcement of this kind in this general Conference. We think that when the Elders speak concerning sin and evil practices, it is not a wise thing to mention either the names of individuals or of wards or stakes as was done by Elder Taylor. Now, what has been said by him, or that which he had heard somebody say, it may be true, as he says, and it may not. He himself characterized it as an exaggeration, and the mention of the place should have been left alone because it may be an exaggeration, and we have no reason, as the First Presidency to think otherwise—to think that Kamas Prairie is an exception in this respect. Such cases may arise in all the Stakes, but every pains is being taken to repress and correct these, to teach our young people how immoral and how wicked it is to do any such thing. Marriage is easy. Every Bishop is authorized to marry; and if the young folks cannot go to the Temple, they can be married by the Bishops or by the Elders in their wards and there is no need to commit sin. It is contrary to all our principles to have practices of this kind prevail among the Latter-day Saints. I do not know how the congregation felt, but I know how we felt concerning the allusion to the choir. We know that there is a fine body of young people connected with the choir; young ladies of purity; some of our own daughters perhaps, whom we know to be pure; and to mention a few of them as being unvirtuous, throws a reflection upon the whole choir. I do not know how they feel, but I know they must feel very much hurt, and I was very sorry myself that Brother John W. Taylor felt called upon to speak of this. It was only a report; somebody mentioned it; and you know how gossiping tongues—there are gossiping tongues—love to dwell on evil. You will find people continually who are harping on the wickedness and the corruption and immorality of the people and how we are all going to the devil, or nearly so; that we are a bad people, getting worse instead of better. I do not believe that. I believe that the Latter-day Saints are striving to get better, although there is sin among us, and it needs to be denounced and denounced in strong language. But we should not take up a body of people and mention some as being corrupt, because it throws a reflection on the whole body. I have no doubt that the young ladles of purity must have felt greatly grieved this morning to have heard this allusion.
“We have felt as though there should be something said on this subject, that the congregation would understand our feelings. Another thing: When one of the Twelve talks in this strain before the congregations of the Saints, other men in the settlements take license from it and they also will talk and mention names and organizations. This is not wise under the circumstances. Better take them apart; talk to the Bishop of Kamas; talk to the President of Summit Stake; ask him what the condition is, whether these things are true or not. Talk to the leader of the choir; tell him what has been heard. If there are any unvirtuous people, let it be known, let them be found out, and I have no doubt that the leader of the choir will be only too anxious to know if there is anything of this character, that those who are guilty of this conduct should be told their services in the choir are no longer needed.
“I speak in this way with the utmost respect for my brother, Brother John W. He has been carried away by zeal in this matter. You know he is a very zealous man, and he feels very strongly; but in mentioning these names we have felt that he overstepped the bounds of wisdom.”
The choir and congregation sang:
How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word.
Benediction by Elder C. D. Fjeldsted.
briefly expressed the mind of the First Presidency in regard to some specific allusions made by Elder John W. Taylor in the course of the latter’s remarks in relation to the subject of morality in the community.
PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNONS REMARKS
We have also been permitted to publish in full the remarks of President George Q. Cannon on the same occasion. President Cannon said:
“The remarks which have been made by Elder John W. Taylor have been exceedingly pointed. No doubt there are conditions existing in our settlements, and in this city, that we would be greatly gratified if they could be corrected. It is too true, that there are births after the marriage that are untimely. We have such cases brought to our attention. In some instances the first children are born a little quicker than those subsequently. We deplore this very much, and take every step we can to have a reformation in this respect, for such conduct is not according to Godliness and the principles of the Gospel, as Elder Taylor has told us. But we have regretted—I speak for the First Presidency—that there should be any mention of any particular place as being worse in this regard than others; for we have no reason to believe that this is the case. Therefore, it was with regret that we heard mentioned Kamas Prairie or Rhodes Valley. The Saints from that place—many of whom I know to be good, faithful people—would feel to a certain extent—I won’t say disgraced, but hurt by a public announcement of this kind in this general Conference. We think that when the Elders speak concerning sin and evil practices, it is not a wise thing to mention either the names of individuals or of wards or stakes as was done by Elder Taylor. Now, what has been said by him, or that which he had heard somebody say, it may be true, as he says, and it may not. He himself characterized it as an exaggeration, and the mention of the place should have been left alone because it may be an exaggeration, and we have no reason, as the First Presidency to think otherwise—to think that Kamas Prairie is an exception in this respect. Such cases may arise in all the Stakes, but every pains is being taken to repress and correct these, to teach our young people how immoral and how wicked it is to do any such thing. Marriage is easy. Every Bishop is authorized to marry; and if the young folks cannot go to the Temple, they can be married by the Bishops or by the Elders in their wards and there is no need to commit sin. It is contrary to all our principles to have practices of this kind prevail among the Latter-day Saints. I do not know how the congregation felt, but I know how we felt concerning the allusion to the choir. We know that there is a fine body of young people connected with the choir; young ladies of purity; some of our own daughters perhaps, whom we know to be pure; and to mention a few of them as being unvirtuous, throws a reflection upon the whole choir. I do not know how they feel, but I know they must feel very much hurt, and I was very sorry myself that Brother John W. Taylor felt called upon to speak of this. It was only a report; somebody mentioned it; and you know how gossiping tongues—there are gossiping tongues—love to dwell on evil. You will find people continually who are harping on the wickedness and the corruption and immorality of the people and how we are all going to the devil, or nearly so; that we are a bad people, getting worse instead of better. I do not believe that. I believe that the Latter-day Saints are striving to get better, although there is sin among us, and it needs to be denounced and denounced in strong language. But we should not take up a body of people and mention some as being corrupt, because it throws a reflection on the whole body. I have no doubt that the young ladles of purity must have felt greatly grieved this morning to have heard this allusion.
“We have felt as though there should be something said on this subject, that the congregation would understand our feelings. Another thing: When one of the Twelve talks in this strain before the congregations of the Saints, other men in the settlements take license from it and they also will talk and mention names and organizations. This is not wise under the circumstances. Better take them apart; talk to the Bishop of Kamas; talk to the President of Summit Stake; ask him what the condition is, whether these things are true or not. Talk to the leader of the choir; tell him what has been heard. If there are any unvirtuous people, let it be known, let them be found out, and I have no doubt that the leader of the choir will be only too anxious to know if there is anything of this character, that those who are guilty of this conduct should be told their services in the choir are no longer needed.
“I speak in this way with the utmost respect for my brother, Brother John W. He has been carried away by zeal in this matter. You know he is a very zealous man, and he feels very strongly; but in mentioning these names we have felt that he overstepped the bounds of wisdom.”
The choir and congregation sang:
How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word.
Benediction by Elder C. D. Fjeldsted.
2 p. m.
The choir sang the hymn which begins,
Praise ye the Lord! my heart shall join
In work so pleasant, so divine.
Now, while the flesh is my abode.
And when my soul ascends to God.
Prayer by Elder Angus M. Cannon.
Singing:
High on the mountain top
A banner is unfurled.
Ye nations now look up.
It waves to all the world.
In Deseret's sweet, peaceful land;
On Zion's mount behold it stand.
The choir sang the hymn which begins,
Praise ye the Lord! my heart shall join
In work so pleasant, so divine.
Now, while the flesh is my abode.
And when my soul ascends to God.
Prayer by Elder Angus M. Cannon.
Singing:
High on the mountain top
A banner is unfurled.
Ye nations now look up.
It waves to all the world.
In Deseret's sweet, peaceful land;
On Zion's mount behold it stand.
PRESIDENT F. D. RICHARDS.
Self-support—President Woodruff's last addresses —Organizing the First Presidency—The Prophet gave the keys to the Twelve—Hour of God's judgment—Wars are necessary.
In contemplating the duty immediately before me, I earnestly desire a liberal measure of the Holy Spirit to assist and strengthen me, to enlighten me, and to enable me to speak unto your edification. I have been very happy in listening to the instructions that have been given us. I realize that these occasions are designed for our great benefit, as spiritual feasts, to refresh us with the words of life, the spirit of faith, the consolation for our trials and temptations, and the enrichment in the spirit of the Gospel by which to further progress in the way of life.
Much of the instruction that we have had pertains to matters of our self-support and our sustenance, which is not only timely and appropriate, but very important, because we need continually an enlargement, an extension of our opportunities; and there are many young people among us who do not sense the importance of assuming the responsibilities of life and settling down into a position in society, of taking to themselves the character of a head of a family, and of establishing themselves among the Saints of Zion. It should be realized by all people that the comforts of life which we have, whether we get them directly or indirectly, come out of the ground to us; not only our food, but our raiment, from our hats to our boots, and from our feathers to the finest wear we put on. Then even the gold and silver and all precious jewels come forth out of the earth. They who till the ground and bring forth out of it the necessaries, the blessings and the comforts of life, by so much improve and increase the general happiness and good of all. There are no portions of the human family that are so independent and comfortable in the ways of life generally as those that are on a farm which they can attend to wisely and profitably, and obtain from it the necessaries of life. If we could realize and understand this more perfectly, and think of it more seriously and considerately, it would be better for a great many of our young, ambitious men and women, who now are seeking for positions in life to escape labor and toil. While they are establishing associations and fixing up measures to cultivate their physical energies and develop their muscles, the general labor that is to be done in the cultivation of the soil, the producing of all that is necessary for living, both in the field for men and in the house and dairy for women, would furnish all the physical culture that they need; and this properly assorted 'and used would save considerable expense in that certain direction.
Now it has got to that, as has been hinted to us, that if any large enterprise is undertaken, whether it be a private or a public one, there is a seeking directly for something or other in the shape of a bonus. If men come among us with capital to do us any good, to put up some machinery or anything of that kind, they first lay claim to some bonus. Whereas, In the beginning of this work, everybody was expected to take care of himself and do something to help build up the Church, the thing is getting very fast turned round the other way, and people now, if they have been unfortunate in the "boom" or through their own carelessness, are expecting the Church to turn in and support them. We have got the thing headed around the wrong way in that respect. We ought to continue the plan and sentiment of sustaining ourselves and of having something to help build up the Church, as in the beginning. This sentiment, if continued and carried out, will grow and extend until our unoccupied lands will be occupied and cultivated, and these valleys will be filled up, and our settlements extend to Canada in the north, to Mexico in the south, and back to Missouri in the east.
I have rejoiced in these instructions given us for our profit. I feel now like speaking to you some of my own personal reflections, in a different strain. The last time we heard our venerable and beloved President Woodruff speak to us here, how delightfully he did address us, as if he might not have been more than forty-five years of age! He gave us a good long talk—long enough for a common sermon, and it was interesting, instructive and emphatic. It would be good for those who did not hear it, to get and read it occasionally. His last teachings all seemed to be given with a view on his part that it might be possibly the last that he would say to us. While hearing him speak in that excellent, free and enlivening manner, I could not help but think, "Is it possible that this will be the last time we shall hear him?" Well, President Woodruff has departed from us in our present relation, and has gone to join the holy throng—the Prophet Joseph, the Patriarch Hyrum, and twelve or fifteen of the Apostles that have died and gone during his lifetime and ours. It is only a few years ago that President Snow and I were ordained down here in the Old Fort. We have lived to see the members of nearly a whole quorum depart hence, and we are left behind, though we are following them up as fast as time will move us on.
Now, there are certain peculiar notions that people sometimes have. Once in a while there is one who thinks we were in a hurry to get the authorities of the Church filled up, almost before it was decent and proper in their estimation. I want to say a little about that. There is no standard of human invention, no precedent among mankind, that can determine how long or how short that period shall be. But the Lord has determined a rule for it. Back in the days when the Prophet Joseph was slain, and the Church was left without him here upon the earth, the whole people mourned—mourned as we have never known how to mourn since. I want to tell you Saints, that felt you mourned when President Young died, when President Taylor died, or now that President Woodruff has departed from us, it is no such mourning as was felt through all Nauvoo and among all the Saints when the Prophet and Patriarch were slain. It just seemed as if everything around us, even the animals, the trees and the habitations, were clothed in mourning. We felt his 'absence, because he was to us instead of God. He directed us in everything, taught us in all the great principles that pertain to our salvation and exaltation throughout all this mortal existence and clear into the eternities. Anybody that has the spirit of revelation, and who will read the last revelations that he gave us, cannot help but wonder and admire, and comprehend something of the great mind and capacity of soul that he had acquired during his short experience, in the Gospel, of twenty-four years here in the flesh.
Now, when he was taken away, it was the first great and terrible experience in that line, and there was no rule left when the Church organization should be perfected. Let me cite you to a few facts in connection with this. When that event occurred, the Apostles were all away throughout the United States, on missions, except John Taylor and Willard Richards. They were in prison with the Prophet Joseph. President Taylor was shot nearly to pieces, so that he had like to have died, according to all human appearance. Willard just lost a drop of blood from one of his ears; a ball whistled so near that it broke his skin and let a drop of blood mingle with the others. The Prophet Brigham was in Boston, with Apostle Woodruff. It was a sad 'and sorrowful time. Immediately -the Prophet Joseph was slain, one man and another, and another, who had been taught by him to comprehend some great principles of the Gospel, came to feel so important that one man said, since Joseph was dead there was no man living to whom he owed allegiance. He therefore, in the greatness of his self-importance, gathered up his family with a few others and went away to Texas. Lyman Wight was this man, whose cognomen among the Twelve was, "the wild ram of the mountain." By and by one of his sons returned to us.. Another man, Alpheus Cutler, in the greatness of his experience and self-sufficiency, took his family and some friends and went into a northern state, making a camp of his own, ready to build up a city, a people, a nation, and become a prophet. George Miller, one of the presiding Bishops, also started with a -few and went off among the Ponca Indians. Another one, James J. Strang, who thought he had the thing fixed so it had come to stay, went oft' with a few to Beaver Island, in Lake Michigan, and carried on his operations for a while, till by and by one of his followers sickened of him and assassinated him. 'This is the way these great men, who thought they were somebody, have gone in the strength of their own endowments, feeling themselves as great as Joseph the Prophet. How was it, when the Prophet Brigham came back to Nauvoo, that he realized that the powers of the Priesthood and the keys thereof had come down upon him? He went and stood in his place. Sidney Rigdon wanted to become a "guardian" to the Church, to guide and lead them till he should see Joseph again. And thus, one after another, these different influences wrought. About this time, too, to fill up the cup and make it run over and 'to accomplish the wickedness of the world, a mob got around and forced the Twelve, when they got back to Nauvoo, to enter into an agreement with them that 'they and the people would get up and leave the country. This they did. They made their arrangements, and, as quick as we could finish the Temple and get the blessings of the Lord upon us, the Saints started out into the wilderness to find a country as far from civilization as they could.
The Prophet Joseph had a feeling or a premonition of what might be, and we find it on the record of his history that he felt forebodings that he might not stay to see that Temple completed. He took the Twelve aside—those who were faithful—and he gave them their endowments in a holy place, in a new building that he consecrated for that purpose. He placed upon them the keys, authority and powers which the Lord and the angels had conferred upon him. You recollect that John the Baptist came and ordained Joseph and Oliver to the Aaronic Priesthood. Peter, James and John came and ordained him and Oliver unto the Melchisedek Priesthood—the holy Apostleship. In the Temple at Kirtland, Moses, Elias and Elijah appeared and conferred upon him the keys of the gathering of Israel, of the Gospel of Abraham, and of the turning of the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to their fathers. Joseph called the brethren aside and placed all these keys, powers and blessings, that he had received, upon them. You have heard President Woodruff testify of this, and of the great work and marvelous power thereof. Well, these things bestowed upon the brethren caused some men to become headstrong, and in view of what they knew they thought they could build up the Church unto God, build up the kingdom of God, and stand at the head of it themselves.
While this was going on, the powers of the Priesthood rested down upon the Twelve Apostles, and President Young always took pains to have a majority of them within reach, where he could arrange for any decision that he found it necessary to make. He had a great vison, in' which Joseph said to us through him, "Get the Holy Spirit, and keep it." That is a great injunction that is upon us all. If we want to go where these men are, we must get the Holy Spirit and walk in the light of it. After he and the Pioneers had been out here and had found this place for; us to come to live in, and then went back to the Mississippi river, in Winter Quarters, the Spirit of the Lord, the revelation of the Lord, came upon him. It was about two years and a half, on that occasion, that the Church had been without a First Presidency, till the Lord made manifest to them, in Winter Quarters, about December, 1847, that the organization should be completed. There being no good place for it, they picked out men and set them to work to build a tabernacle in Kanesville, for the conference. At that conference the First Presidency was accepted, and, according to the dictation of the revelation, they, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards, were upheld by the unanimous consent and vote and prayers of God's people. Thus the first great calamity to the Church was remedied, and the fulness of the Priesthood was again restored.
In 1849 the Presidency and the brethren got together down in the old fort here, and there was a series of conferences and councils held, where four of the brethren were ordained unto the Apostleship, to fill the vacancies made by those who had been promoted to the First Presidency, and of this number were Brothers Charles C. Rich, Lorenzo Snow, Erastus Snow and myself. For ten years and a half I was the youngest member of the quorum, and when I look back it seems marvelous to me that I have lived to see, in about fifty years, nearly a whole quorum of Apostles pass away to the other world. They have gone to labor with the Prophet Joseph, and they cannot feel lonesome. I cannot help but think how happy President Woodruff must be in getting into their society, and rejoicing and glorifying God in the great work there of preparing for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
When it came to pass that President Brig-ham Young departed from us, then there was another period when the Presidency of the Church came upon the Twelve. During this period it devolved upon President John Taylor, the President of the Twelve Apostles, and this continued for a while. At that time it was so that a number of the brethren of the Twelve were but young men, not of long experience, and we had to have a little time to get acquainted with each other, and we had to labor to accomplish the things that were required. During this time some entertained ideas of one kind, some of another. It was thought that some should be brought to the Presidency who were not entitled to it, and we had to take a little time to learn and inquire into the mind of the Lord on these matters. By and by, when we had come to a proper state of feeling, to an entire unanimity, and when the Lord saw fit. He made it manifest unto the Twelve that the First Presidency should again be organized. "Whereupon President John Taylor was called to be President of the Church, and Apostles Geo. Q. Cannon and Joseph F, Smith were called to be his counselors.
Now, I want to say to you that the only rule there is about constructing the First Presidency is this: When the quorum of the Twelve Apostles are of one heart and of one mind, and they attain to that faith that the Lord will make manifest His will, then is the time when the Presidency are appointed. There is no other precedent established, only to obtain the fellowship, the union and the faith of the council to prevail with the Lord to make manifest these things unto them.
So again, when President Taylor died, we were left in a similar condition, and the Twelve held the direction of affairs. By and by, when it came the proper time, when we felt the Spirit of the Lord burning in all our hearts, when the word of the Lord came to President Woodruff, then another Presidency was constructed. It was done by the same rule—all were agreed and united, and prevailed with the Lord to make manifest His will about it.
My brethren and sisters, there are some truths greater than other truths. As the Lord said to Abraham, where you see one truth greater than another, then you may know there is another truth greater than that. The great truth that regulates us in all these matters is the truth of being united. The Lord has told us in the revelations that except 'we are one we are not His. That is a great, capital truth; and if you will carry it with you into your wards and into your Stakes, as also into your families, you will find a great, capital blessing with it everywhere.
When President Woodruff was taken from us, how were we? Why, we had nobody that wanted to go off to California, to Canada, to Mexico, or to the Sandwich Islands even, to set up a church of his own; but we were all here—the two counselors that remained and the Twelve Apostles, fourteen in all. When v/e were thus together, I want to say to you that under those circumstances and a^ that time there were no opposing, contending influences. There was nobody wanted to go away and set up a kingdom. But we were united. And I want to testify that a great measure of this blessing of unity, fellowship and love has come down upon us, and through us to the people, by the untiring zeal, energy and devotion of President Lorenzo Snow. While he was President of the Twelve Apostles he labored diligently unto this end; and I have never seen a time, nor have you ever seen a time, in this dispensation, when there was a more cordial, solid unanimity in the Presidency and Apostles of the Church than there is to-day.
When we, as the Apostles, accepted the responsibility to preside. President Cannon took his seat in the Council of the Twelve, where he occupied it before he left it as a counselor to President Woodruff. President Jos. F. Smith did the same. The Twelve Apostles assumed the presidency of the Church, although it was taut for a short time — from September 2nd to September 13th. On the latter day we were together, and in contemplating the interests of the Church, temporal and eternal, we remembered the words of President Woodruff while he was with us, that he did not think the Church should be long without its full organization, and it began to burn in our hearts. One after another felt as if a First Presidency ought to be organized, if the word of the Lord were so; and directly the word of the Lord was given to us that the time had come to organize, and so we organized. President Lorenzo Snow and his counselors were presented, and accepted by the brethren in council, as the First Presidency of the Church. We were all united on it, our hearts were warm in it, the fire of the Lord burned in every bosom, and we could not keep still for the joy we had in this thing.
Now, that is the only rule there is in regard to filling or keeping open the vacancy of the First Presidency of the Church. It is when the brethren are united in the love and power of the Holy Priesthood. When the word of the Lord comes to us, it tells us what to do, when to do, and how to do. So that no one need feel that we have waited too short a time after President Woodruff's departure to make it both decent and proper to fill the vacancy. When the Lord speaks, then is the time! When His mind is made manifest, we should honor and accept it, and carry it out to the uttermost. I rejoice in that the Lord is so ready to make manifest to us; that we did not have to wait two years and a half, nor a year and a half, for Him to give it to us.
President Woodruff was full of teaching concerning the last instructions of the Prophet Joseph to the Apostles, and the blessings he put upon them. Brother Woodruff was the last one of that distinguished Council of the Twelve which the Prophet Joseph administered to personally; not in the Temple (it was before the Temple was completed), but in a retired place, where only a very few knew of It. It was necessary that they should have this blessing, so that if Joseph should be taken away it might be instituted and carried on in the Temple, when the Temple was completed. Oh, blessed be the name of the Lord, for that he caused it to be brought about in this way! And blessed be His holy name, too, that he caused us to be roused up out of our homes and sent out into these mountains before that war of the Rebellion came upon us. Oh, how we hated to go! But how true the Lord made His word to come out when He said, "My people shall be willing in the day of my power." He knew how to make us willing, although it took mobs to come upon us and kill our brethren, the Prophets.
Brethren, this great work is upon us. The Lord has given us some singular features connected with it. One of them is this: He has said by the mouth of the angel that the hour of His judgment is come. The Savior, in looking down into our time, as recorded in the 24th chap, of Matthew, told the brethren that in the last days not only should false Christs and false Prophets appear and try to lead away many, but He told them that in these times there should be wars and rumors of wars, and great distress among all nations; and so great should be the trouble and distress that it should be only a vexation to understand the report thereof. Now then, what do we see? We have already lived to see Wars in our day. They are a necessary concomitant to this latter-day work. They cannot be avoided. They are a necessary part of the latter-day program. Let me draw your minds a little to some of the circumstances, and see if it is not so. I look upon it as part of the great philosophy of the last days' dispensation, that the wars of our times are just as necessary in the fulfilling of the word and the work of the Lord as are any others of His gracious promises made to us. It was necessary to have this liberal government that His Church might be established upon this land. He could not have done it in any of the monarchies of the old world. Why was it that there was a dissatisfied element called non-conformists? It was so with them, between the reformers and the Catholics, that they could not stay and be comfortable, and they had to go off to Holland, to get a retreat where they could survive, worship God and entertain the faith they believed in. Directly, when Columbus had discovered this country and it came the proper time, these same nonconformists, afterwards called Puritans, came over to America as fast as they could—they who were not tied up to papacy nor to the Church of England, but who felt a desire for more liberty to worship God, came over here, and they became the thirteen little' colonies away down on the Atlantic coast. What was the result of it? They had to have a war, declare their independence, and become a people to themselves before they could obtain that liberty to worship that was required before the Lord sent His revelations among them. War was actually necessary to bring step by step the liberty the human family has.
We get along a little further, and the Prophet Joseph was among us. The Saints were driven from New York state to Kirtland, from Kirtland to Missouri, and then from city to city. The first mission of the Twelve Apostles was to New England. A few people receive it. The leading men of the Church—the Prophet Joseph, and Hyrum, Brigham and Heber—were from the Eastern states. But how was it in the South? When we sent our Elders into the Southern States they persecuted them. Elders Wilford Woodruff David W. Patten and Jedediah M. Grant succeeded in getting a few from those states; among the rest, Brother A. O. Smoot, late president of the Utah Stake. But no considerable work was ever done in the Southern States until after the war of the rebellion. That came and destroyed about a million souls, and that destruction produced liberty to the slaves. After that the Gospel could go, and it is having free course until there are many scores of our Elders there, and in some of these states our people have meeting houses, branches, societies and schools. The work is being established and taking root among the people. You see, the war was necessary to bring that about. Of course, we never could have got into the Southern States if something had not happened to break off the bonds of the African, so that slavery might be abolished.
So we may look all along the experience of the Latter-day Saints. Let me take you across into the old country. When I was over there in 1895,presiding in Europe, the work was going on in Great Britain, Scandinavia and Switzerland. A voice came over from Dresden and wanted to know what was this doctrine they heard of. We adopted measures to send it over to them. How did we do it? Here is Brother Maeser, known to all Israel, the first fruits, I may say, of the German confederacy. We went over there and in the dead hour of the night baptized eight souls in the river Elbe. But they could not stay a great while before they were driven away. Brother Maeser, after a little, was put in charge of a policeman, who took him across the province and delivered him to another, and he was taken from one place to another until he came over to me at Liverpool. At those times we could do very little, almost nothing. Brothers Orson Spencer and Jacob Houtz were appointed to go there and see if they could start a mission. They went, and on every application to preach in the confederacy they were given notice that they had so many hours to get out; so they had to leave. Again, Apostle Orson Pratt and Brother William W. Riter were sent over to Austria, to see if perhaps over there some better opportunity might be found; but they labored without being able to establish a church. The work did not seem to take hold, and they came back without accomplishing a great deal in the way of establishing a church in that country. But latterly what has been the fact? Why, when that war arose between France and Germany, over Alsace and Lorraine, it had the effect of loosening up the bonds. Quietly and gradually our brethren are now preaching the Gospel among that people, and the work of God is progressing, though sometimes the brethren are banished. Only a little while ago President Snow's son was banished from a province. When they were banished they did as the Savior said—being driven from one place they fled to another.
Thus the work of the Lord is going on. These wars have to occur to loosen up the bonds of the governments that are so tight and strong against religious liberty. I set it down as a fixed principle that these wars are going to be as necessary to the progress of liberty in this dispensation as are the labors of our Elders. We have got to accept these things. And if our sons have; to go away in the wars, we must arm 'them with the power of God, with the power of faith; our prayers must go after them; and by and by these sons will rise up to be mighty men of Zion; when that time comes that man will say, "Let us not go up against Zion, for the inhabitants thereof are terrible." They will go to other places, where the prey is easier to acquire. So then we need not be worried. Mothers, do not be troubled about your sons who are away in the war. The Lord’s eyes are over them; the holy anointing is upon them. Mo.st of them, perhaps all, have the Priesthood, and they will call upon the Lord, and He will deliver them, make them mighty, give them distinction, and they will come as the sons of Brother Brigham have come—to places of prominence, and by and by 'they may have to lead the armies of Israel. These things are a part of the business.
We want no cowards in our band.
Who will our colors fly;
We call for valiant-hearted men,
Who're not afraid to die.
They that are not afraid to die are the ones that are likeliest to live. The Lord has said, "'He that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it," even life everlasting.
I rejoice in the great work of the Lord. I know it is true. I found that out a long time ago. I only wish I could do more to further it and to help promote the cause. I strive to live my religion, and I feel thankful for the degree of confidence and love which you show to me from time to time, as well as to all of my brethren. I pray you, my dear brethren and sisters, be you strengthened in this Conference by all the counsels you get. Let every man who is the head of a family realize that he wants to labor for the benefit of every soul the Lord has given him to come forth out of his loins, that he may be able to have by and by a righteous seed, a numerous seed in the earth, and partakers of those blessings that were sealed upon the fathers anciently, and have since been sealed upon us, their children. I pray the Lord to bless you, to bless us all, with health of body, strength of mind, and a spirit to prefer. Zion and her interests above all things. In ancient times, when Zion's interests were concentrated on the hill of Jerusalem, David 'said:
"If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
"If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy."
Let us then make it our study to love Zion above all things, and seek to live to bring her interests to pass. I pray the Lord to bless all the interests of Zion, and help us to live to honor Him, to love to do His will as long as He likes to have us tarry in the flesh, that when we go it may be well with us, as we believe it to be well with these our brethren who have gone before us. Amen.
Self-support—President Woodruff's last addresses —Organizing the First Presidency—The Prophet gave the keys to the Twelve—Hour of God's judgment—Wars are necessary.
In contemplating the duty immediately before me, I earnestly desire a liberal measure of the Holy Spirit to assist and strengthen me, to enlighten me, and to enable me to speak unto your edification. I have been very happy in listening to the instructions that have been given us. I realize that these occasions are designed for our great benefit, as spiritual feasts, to refresh us with the words of life, the spirit of faith, the consolation for our trials and temptations, and the enrichment in the spirit of the Gospel by which to further progress in the way of life.
Much of the instruction that we have had pertains to matters of our self-support and our sustenance, which is not only timely and appropriate, but very important, because we need continually an enlargement, an extension of our opportunities; and there are many young people among us who do not sense the importance of assuming the responsibilities of life and settling down into a position in society, of taking to themselves the character of a head of a family, and of establishing themselves among the Saints of Zion. It should be realized by all people that the comforts of life which we have, whether we get them directly or indirectly, come out of the ground to us; not only our food, but our raiment, from our hats to our boots, and from our feathers to the finest wear we put on. Then even the gold and silver and all precious jewels come forth out of the earth. They who till the ground and bring forth out of it the necessaries, the blessings and the comforts of life, by so much improve and increase the general happiness and good of all. There are no portions of the human family that are so independent and comfortable in the ways of life generally as those that are on a farm which they can attend to wisely and profitably, and obtain from it the necessaries of life. If we could realize and understand this more perfectly, and think of it more seriously and considerately, it would be better for a great many of our young, ambitious men and women, who now are seeking for positions in life to escape labor and toil. While they are establishing associations and fixing up measures to cultivate their physical energies and develop their muscles, the general labor that is to be done in the cultivation of the soil, the producing of all that is necessary for living, both in the field for men and in the house and dairy for women, would furnish all the physical culture that they need; and this properly assorted 'and used would save considerable expense in that certain direction.
Now it has got to that, as has been hinted to us, that if any large enterprise is undertaken, whether it be a private or a public one, there is a seeking directly for something or other in the shape of a bonus. If men come among us with capital to do us any good, to put up some machinery or anything of that kind, they first lay claim to some bonus. Whereas, In the beginning of this work, everybody was expected to take care of himself and do something to help build up the Church, the thing is getting very fast turned round the other way, and people now, if they have been unfortunate in the "boom" or through their own carelessness, are expecting the Church to turn in and support them. We have got the thing headed around the wrong way in that respect. We ought to continue the plan and sentiment of sustaining ourselves and of having something to help build up the Church, as in the beginning. This sentiment, if continued and carried out, will grow and extend until our unoccupied lands will be occupied and cultivated, and these valleys will be filled up, and our settlements extend to Canada in the north, to Mexico in the south, and back to Missouri in the east.
I have rejoiced in these instructions given us for our profit. I feel now like speaking to you some of my own personal reflections, in a different strain. The last time we heard our venerable and beloved President Woodruff speak to us here, how delightfully he did address us, as if he might not have been more than forty-five years of age! He gave us a good long talk—long enough for a common sermon, and it was interesting, instructive and emphatic. It would be good for those who did not hear it, to get and read it occasionally. His last teachings all seemed to be given with a view on his part that it might be possibly the last that he would say to us. While hearing him speak in that excellent, free and enlivening manner, I could not help but think, "Is it possible that this will be the last time we shall hear him?" Well, President Woodruff has departed from us in our present relation, and has gone to join the holy throng—the Prophet Joseph, the Patriarch Hyrum, and twelve or fifteen of the Apostles that have died and gone during his lifetime and ours. It is only a few years ago that President Snow and I were ordained down here in the Old Fort. We have lived to see the members of nearly a whole quorum depart hence, and we are left behind, though we are following them up as fast as time will move us on.
Now, there are certain peculiar notions that people sometimes have. Once in a while there is one who thinks we were in a hurry to get the authorities of the Church filled up, almost before it was decent and proper in their estimation. I want to say a little about that. There is no standard of human invention, no precedent among mankind, that can determine how long or how short that period shall be. But the Lord has determined a rule for it. Back in the days when the Prophet Joseph was slain, and the Church was left without him here upon the earth, the whole people mourned—mourned as we have never known how to mourn since. I want to tell you Saints, that felt you mourned when President Young died, when President Taylor died, or now that President Woodruff has departed from us, it is no such mourning as was felt through all Nauvoo and among all the Saints when the Prophet and Patriarch were slain. It just seemed as if everything around us, even the animals, the trees and the habitations, were clothed in mourning. We felt his 'absence, because he was to us instead of God. He directed us in everything, taught us in all the great principles that pertain to our salvation and exaltation throughout all this mortal existence and clear into the eternities. Anybody that has the spirit of revelation, and who will read the last revelations that he gave us, cannot help but wonder and admire, and comprehend something of the great mind and capacity of soul that he had acquired during his short experience, in the Gospel, of twenty-four years here in the flesh.
Now, when he was taken away, it was the first great and terrible experience in that line, and there was no rule left when the Church organization should be perfected. Let me cite you to a few facts in connection with this. When that event occurred, the Apostles were all away throughout the United States, on missions, except John Taylor and Willard Richards. They were in prison with the Prophet Joseph. President Taylor was shot nearly to pieces, so that he had like to have died, according to all human appearance. Willard just lost a drop of blood from one of his ears; a ball whistled so near that it broke his skin and let a drop of blood mingle with the others. The Prophet Brigham was in Boston, with Apostle Woodruff. It was a sad 'and sorrowful time. Immediately -the Prophet Joseph was slain, one man and another, and another, who had been taught by him to comprehend some great principles of the Gospel, came to feel so important that one man said, since Joseph was dead there was no man living to whom he owed allegiance. He therefore, in the greatness of his self-importance, gathered up his family with a few others and went away to Texas. Lyman Wight was this man, whose cognomen among the Twelve was, "the wild ram of the mountain." By and by one of his sons returned to us.. Another man, Alpheus Cutler, in the greatness of his experience and self-sufficiency, took his family and some friends and went into a northern state, making a camp of his own, ready to build up a city, a people, a nation, and become a prophet. George Miller, one of the presiding Bishops, also started with a -few and went off among the Ponca Indians. Another one, James J. Strang, who thought he had the thing fixed so it had come to stay, went oft' with a few to Beaver Island, in Lake Michigan, and carried on his operations for a while, till by and by one of his followers sickened of him and assassinated him. 'This is the way these great men, who thought they were somebody, have gone in the strength of their own endowments, feeling themselves as great as Joseph the Prophet. How was it, when the Prophet Brigham came back to Nauvoo, that he realized that the powers of the Priesthood and the keys thereof had come down upon him? He went and stood in his place. Sidney Rigdon wanted to become a "guardian" to the Church, to guide and lead them till he should see Joseph again. And thus, one after another, these different influences wrought. About this time, too, to fill up the cup and make it run over and 'to accomplish the wickedness of the world, a mob got around and forced the Twelve, when they got back to Nauvoo, to enter into an agreement with them that 'they and the people would get up and leave the country. This they did. They made their arrangements, and, as quick as we could finish the Temple and get the blessings of the Lord upon us, the Saints started out into the wilderness to find a country as far from civilization as they could.
The Prophet Joseph had a feeling or a premonition of what might be, and we find it on the record of his history that he felt forebodings that he might not stay to see that Temple completed. He took the Twelve aside—those who were faithful—and he gave them their endowments in a holy place, in a new building that he consecrated for that purpose. He placed upon them the keys, authority and powers which the Lord and the angels had conferred upon him. You recollect that John the Baptist came and ordained Joseph and Oliver to the Aaronic Priesthood. Peter, James and John came and ordained him and Oliver unto the Melchisedek Priesthood—the holy Apostleship. In the Temple at Kirtland, Moses, Elias and Elijah appeared and conferred upon him the keys of the gathering of Israel, of the Gospel of Abraham, and of the turning of the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to their fathers. Joseph called the brethren aside and placed all these keys, powers and blessings, that he had received, upon them. You have heard President Woodruff testify of this, and of the great work and marvelous power thereof. Well, these things bestowed upon the brethren caused some men to become headstrong, and in view of what they knew they thought they could build up the Church unto God, build up the kingdom of God, and stand at the head of it themselves.
While this was going on, the powers of the Priesthood rested down upon the Twelve Apostles, and President Young always took pains to have a majority of them within reach, where he could arrange for any decision that he found it necessary to make. He had a great vison, in' which Joseph said to us through him, "Get the Holy Spirit, and keep it." That is a great injunction that is upon us all. If we want to go where these men are, we must get the Holy Spirit and walk in the light of it. After he and the Pioneers had been out here and had found this place for; us to come to live in, and then went back to the Mississippi river, in Winter Quarters, the Spirit of the Lord, the revelation of the Lord, came upon him. It was about two years and a half, on that occasion, that the Church had been without a First Presidency, till the Lord made manifest to them, in Winter Quarters, about December, 1847, that the organization should be completed. There being no good place for it, they picked out men and set them to work to build a tabernacle in Kanesville, for the conference. At that conference the First Presidency was accepted, and, according to the dictation of the revelation, they, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards, were upheld by the unanimous consent and vote and prayers of God's people. Thus the first great calamity to the Church was remedied, and the fulness of the Priesthood was again restored.
In 1849 the Presidency and the brethren got together down in the old fort here, and there was a series of conferences and councils held, where four of the brethren were ordained unto the Apostleship, to fill the vacancies made by those who had been promoted to the First Presidency, and of this number were Brothers Charles C. Rich, Lorenzo Snow, Erastus Snow and myself. For ten years and a half I was the youngest member of the quorum, and when I look back it seems marvelous to me that I have lived to see, in about fifty years, nearly a whole quorum of Apostles pass away to the other world. They have gone to labor with the Prophet Joseph, and they cannot feel lonesome. I cannot help but think how happy President Woodruff must be in getting into their society, and rejoicing and glorifying God in the great work there of preparing for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
When it came to pass that President Brig-ham Young departed from us, then there was another period when the Presidency of the Church came upon the Twelve. During this period it devolved upon President John Taylor, the President of the Twelve Apostles, and this continued for a while. At that time it was so that a number of the brethren of the Twelve were but young men, not of long experience, and we had to have a little time to get acquainted with each other, and we had to labor to accomplish the things that were required. During this time some entertained ideas of one kind, some of another. It was thought that some should be brought to the Presidency who were not entitled to it, and we had to take a little time to learn and inquire into the mind of the Lord on these matters. By and by, when we had come to a proper state of feeling, to an entire unanimity, and when the Lord saw fit. He made it manifest unto the Twelve that the First Presidency should again be organized. "Whereupon President John Taylor was called to be President of the Church, and Apostles Geo. Q. Cannon and Joseph F, Smith were called to be his counselors.
Now, I want to say to you that the only rule there is about constructing the First Presidency is this: When the quorum of the Twelve Apostles are of one heart and of one mind, and they attain to that faith that the Lord will make manifest His will, then is the time when the Presidency are appointed. There is no other precedent established, only to obtain the fellowship, the union and the faith of the council to prevail with the Lord to make manifest these things unto them.
So again, when President Taylor died, we were left in a similar condition, and the Twelve held the direction of affairs. By and by, when it came the proper time, when we felt the Spirit of the Lord burning in all our hearts, when the word of the Lord came to President Woodruff, then another Presidency was constructed. It was done by the same rule—all were agreed and united, and prevailed with the Lord to make manifest His will about it.
My brethren and sisters, there are some truths greater than other truths. As the Lord said to Abraham, where you see one truth greater than another, then you may know there is another truth greater than that. The great truth that regulates us in all these matters is the truth of being united. The Lord has told us in the revelations that except 'we are one we are not His. That is a great, capital truth; and if you will carry it with you into your wards and into your Stakes, as also into your families, you will find a great, capital blessing with it everywhere.
When President Woodruff was taken from us, how were we? Why, we had nobody that wanted to go off to California, to Canada, to Mexico, or to the Sandwich Islands even, to set up a church of his own; but we were all here—the two counselors that remained and the Twelve Apostles, fourteen in all. When v/e were thus together, I want to say to you that under those circumstances and a^ that time there were no opposing, contending influences. There was nobody wanted to go away and set up a kingdom. But we were united. And I want to testify that a great measure of this blessing of unity, fellowship and love has come down upon us, and through us to the people, by the untiring zeal, energy and devotion of President Lorenzo Snow. While he was President of the Twelve Apostles he labored diligently unto this end; and I have never seen a time, nor have you ever seen a time, in this dispensation, when there was a more cordial, solid unanimity in the Presidency and Apostles of the Church than there is to-day.
When we, as the Apostles, accepted the responsibility to preside. President Cannon took his seat in the Council of the Twelve, where he occupied it before he left it as a counselor to President Woodruff. President Jos. F. Smith did the same. The Twelve Apostles assumed the presidency of the Church, although it was taut for a short time — from September 2nd to September 13th. On the latter day we were together, and in contemplating the interests of the Church, temporal and eternal, we remembered the words of President Woodruff while he was with us, that he did not think the Church should be long without its full organization, and it began to burn in our hearts. One after another felt as if a First Presidency ought to be organized, if the word of the Lord were so; and directly the word of the Lord was given to us that the time had come to organize, and so we organized. President Lorenzo Snow and his counselors were presented, and accepted by the brethren in council, as the First Presidency of the Church. We were all united on it, our hearts were warm in it, the fire of the Lord burned in every bosom, and we could not keep still for the joy we had in this thing.
Now, that is the only rule there is in regard to filling or keeping open the vacancy of the First Presidency of the Church. It is when the brethren are united in the love and power of the Holy Priesthood. When the word of the Lord comes to us, it tells us what to do, when to do, and how to do. So that no one need feel that we have waited too short a time after President Woodruff's departure to make it both decent and proper to fill the vacancy. When the Lord speaks, then is the time! When His mind is made manifest, we should honor and accept it, and carry it out to the uttermost. I rejoice in that the Lord is so ready to make manifest to us; that we did not have to wait two years and a half, nor a year and a half, for Him to give it to us.
President Woodruff was full of teaching concerning the last instructions of the Prophet Joseph to the Apostles, and the blessings he put upon them. Brother Woodruff was the last one of that distinguished Council of the Twelve which the Prophet Joseph administered to personally; not in the Temple (it was before the Temple was completed), but in a retired place, where only a very few knew of It. It was necessary that they should have this blessing, so that if Joseph should be taken away it might be instituted and carried on in the Temple, when the Temple was completed. Oh, blessed be the name of the Lord, for that he caused it to be brought about in this way! And blessed be His holy name, too, that he caused us to be roused up out of our homes and sent out into these mountains before that war of the Rebellion came upon us. Oh, how we hated to go! But how true the Lord made His word to come out when He said, "My people shall be willing in the day of my power." He knew how to make us willing, although it took mobs to come upon us and kill our brethren, the Prophets.
Brethren, this great work is upon us. The Lord has given us some singular features connected with it. One of them is this: He has said by the mouth of the angel that the hour of His judgment is come. The Savior, in looking down into our time, as recorded in the 24th chap, of Matthew, told the brethren that in the last days not only should false Christs and false Prophets appear and try to lead away many, but He told them that in these times there should be wars and rumors of wars, and great distress among all nations; and so great should be the trouble and distress that it should be only a vexation to understand the report thereof. Now then, what do we see? We have already lived to see Wars in our day. They are a necessary concomitant to this latter-day work. They cannot be avoided. They are a necessary part of the latter-day program. Let me draw your minds a little to some of the circumstances, and see if it is not so. I look upon it as part of the great philosophy of the last days' dispensation, that the wars of our times are just as necessary in the fulfilling of the word and the work of the Lord as are any others of His gracious promises made to us. It was necessary to have this liberal government that His Church might be established upon this land. He could not have done it in any of the monarchies of the old world. Why was it that there was a dissatisfied element called non-conformists? It was so with them, between the reformers and the Catholics, that they could not stay and be comfortable, and they had to go off to Holland, to get a retreat where they could survive, worship God and entertain the faith they believed in. Directly, when Columbus had discovered this country and it came the proper time, these same nonconformists, afterwards called Puritans, came over to America as fast as they could—they who were not tied up to papacy nor to the Church of England, but who felt a desire for more liberty to worship God, came over here, and they became the thirteen little' colonies away down on the Atlantic coast. What was the result of it? They had to have a war, declare their independence, and become a people to themselves before they could obtain that liberty to worship that was required before the Lord sent His revelations among them. War was actually necessary to bring step by step the liberty the human family has.
We get along a little further, and the Prophet Joseph was among us. The Saints were driven from New York state to Kirtland, from Kirtland to Missouri, and then from city to city. The first mission of the Twelve Apostles was to New England. A few people receive it. The leading men of the Church—the Prophet Joseph, and Hyrum, Brigham and Heber—were from the Eastern states. But how was it in the South? When we sent our Elders into the Southern States they persecuted them. Elders Wilford Woodruff David W. Patten and Jedediah M. Grant succeeded in getting a few from those states; among the rest, Brother A. O. Smoot, late president of the Utah Stake. But no considerable work was ever done in the Southern States until after the war of the rebellion. That came and destroyed about a million souls, and that destruction produced liberty to the slaves. After that the Gospel could go, and it is having free course until there are many scores of our Elders there, and in some of these states our people have meeting houses, branches, societies and schools. The work is being established and taking root among the people. You see, the war was necessary to bring that about. Of course, we never could have got into the Southern States if something had not happened to break off the bonds of the African, so that slavery might be abolished.
So we may look all along the experience of the Latter-day Saints. Let me take you across into the old country. When I was over there in 1895,presiding in Europe, the work was going on in Great Britain, Scandinavia and Switzerland. A voice came over from Dresden and wanted to know what was this doctrine they heard of. We adopted measures to send it over to them. How did we do it? Here is Brother Maeser, known to all Israel, the first fruits, I may say, of the German confederacy. We went over there and in the dead hour of the night baptized eight souls in the river Elbe. But they could not stay a great while before they were driven away. Brother Maeser, after a little, was put in charge of a policeman, who took him across the province and delivered him to another, and he was taken from one place to another until he came over to me at Liverpool. At those times we could do very little, almost nothing. Brothers Orson Spencer and Jacob Houtz were appointed to go there and see if they could start a mission. They went, and on every application to preach in the confederacy they were given notice that they had so many hours to get out; so they had to leave. Again, Apostle Orson Pratt and Brother William W. Riter were sent over to Austria, to see if perhaps over there some better opportunity might be found; but they labored without being able to establish a church. The work did not seem to take hold, and they came back without accomplishing a great deal in the way of establishing a church in that country. But latterly what has been the fact? Why, when that war arose between France and Germany, over Alsace and Lorraine, it had the effect of loosening up the bonds. Quietly and gradually our brethren are now preaching the Gospel among that people, and the work of God is progressing, though sometimes the brethren are banished. Only a little while ago President Snow's son was banished from a province. When they were banished they did as the Savior said—being driven from one place they fled to another.
Thus the work of the Lord is going on. These wars have to occur to loosen up the bonds of the governments that are so tight and strong against religious liberty. I set it down as a fixed principle that these wars are going to be as necessary to the progress of liberty in this dispensation as are the labors of our Elders. We have got to accept these things. And if our sons have; to go away in the wars, we must arm 'them with the power of God, with the power of faith; our prayers must go after them; and by and by these sons will rise up to be mighty men of Zion; when that time comes that man will say, "Let us not go up against Zion, for the inhabitants thereof are terrible." They will go to other places, where the prey is easier to acquire. So then we need not be worried. Mothers, do not be troubled about your sons who are away in the war. The Lord’s eyes are over them; the holy anointing is upon them. Mo.st of them, perhaps all, have the Priesthood, and they will call upon the Lord, and He will deliver them, make them mighty, give them distinction, and they will come as the sons of Brother Brigham have come—to places of prominence, and by and by 'they may have to lead the armies of Israel. These things are a part of the business.
We want no cowards in our band.
Who will our colors fly;
We call for valiant-hearted men,
Who're not afraid to die.
They that are not afraid to die are the ones that are likeliest to live. The Lord has said, "'He that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it," even life everlasting.
I rejoice in the great work of the Lord. I know it is true. I found that out a long time ago. I only wish I could do more to further it and to help promote the cause. I strive to live my religion, and I feel thankful for the degree of confidence and love which you show to me from time to time, as well as to all of my brethren. I pray you, my dear brethren and sisters, be you strengthened in this Conference by all the counsels you get. Let every man who is the head of a family realize that he wants to labor for the benefit of every soul the Lord has given him to come forth out of his loins, that he may be able to have by and by a righteous seed, a numerous seed in the earth, and partakers of those blessings that were sealed upon the fathers anciently, and have since been sealed upon us, their children. I pray the Lord to bless you, to bless us all, with health of body, strength of mind, and a spirit to prefer. Zion and her interests above all things. In ancient times, when Zion's interests were concentrated on the hill of Jerusalem, David 'said:
"If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
"If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy."
Let us then make it our study to love Zion above all things, and seek to live to bring her interests to pass. I pray the Lord to bless all the interests of Zion, and help us to live to honor Him, to love to do His will as long as He likes to have us tarry in the flesh, that when we go it may be well with us, as we believe it to be well with these our brethren who have gone before us. Amen.
ELDER HEBER J. GRANT.
Necessity for Faith and Courage—Example of Nephi—Church officers should be exemplars— The Church perpetuated—Prophecies fulfilled— Personal testimonies.
I rejoice exceedingly in having the privilege once more of assembling with the Latter-day Saints in General Conference, and I earnestly desire that the time I may occupy this afternoon may be for our mutual benefit; that the Lord will inspire my mind, that I may be prompted to say something that will strengthen our faith and renew our de- termination to press forward valiantly in the discharge of the duties and the obligations that rest upon us as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have never had any other desire in standing before the Latter-day Saints than that I might be able to say something for their good and for my own good, and that would be calculated to increase that determination that 'Ought to animate each and every Latter-day Saint, to "seek first the kingdom of God."
I realize that we all have our weaknesses, and that we do and say many things that are not pleasing in the sight of our Heavenly Father; but if we desire above all other things upon this earth to know the mind and will of God, and if we desire the strength of character, after we shall learn the mind and will of our Heavenly Father, to carry it out in our lives, I do know that God will help us, and that as we grow in years and in knowledge and in understanding that we will grow also in the power and the ability to accomplish His will.
I have rejoiced exceedingly in the teachings of this conference. When President Cannon was preaching of the faith needed by the Latter-day Saints, there came to my mind that scripture which was quoted here yesterday by Brother Cowley, from the Prophet Nephi, that faithful man, and I felt in my heart that when it came my time to speak to the Latter-day Saints, I should quote that passage to them, and urge upon them to gain the same faith that Nephi of old had; and I rejoice in the testimony that was borne here by Brother Cowley when he quoted that passage to us in our meeting.
I feel that there is an abundance of room for the Latter-day Saints to cultivate that faith. I feel that we should learn never to become discouraged. I endorse with all my heart the remarks of Brother Joseph F. Smith, that we should never become discouraged, but that we should always be full of faith, full of determination to labor for the onward advancement of the kingdom of God upon the earth. I rejoice myself that the Lord has blessed me with a hopeful disposition; rejoice in the fact that it requires a great deal to discourage me in any of the things of this life. In the battle of life I am not easily discouraged. I believe in the saying: "If there is ever a time for a man to be ambitious, it is not when ambition is easy, but when it is hard." Then is the time for us to labor, and in the same sentence from which I am quoting are these words: "Fight in the dark; if you are down, die hard and you will not die at all."
I believe there are many Latter-day Saints who in sickness give up; they surrender to the power of the adversary; and I believe that there are many sleeping in their graves who might have lived to labor for the onward advancement of God's kingdom, if they had been determined to live, determined that they would not die, unless in the providence of God they had finished their labor here on the earth. I believe there is something in the will power that God has given to us. I believe when we determine within our hearts that by and with the blessings of God our Heavenly Father we will accomplish a certain labor, God gives the ability to accomplish that labor; but when we lay down, when we become discouraged, when we look at the top of the mountain and say it is impossible to climb to the summit, while we never make an effort it will never be accomplished.
Nephi said to his father that he would go and do the things which the Lord commanded, and when his brethren failed to get the plates and they came back discouraged, he was not discouraged, but said unto his brethren: "Let us go up again unto Jerusalem; let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of God, for the Lord is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea or even his tens of thousands." And after they had tried again and were discouraged, he tried once more, He said to his brethren: "As the Lord lives and as we live we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness until we have accomplished that which the Lord has commanded us." Now we as Latter-day Saints should remember that Nephi succeeded; we should remember that in the face of obstacles he secured the plates containing the precious words of God; that he secured the record which was beyond price; that was invaluable to his descendants, and without which it would have been difficult for many of them to have found the straight and narrow path that leads to life eternal.
If there is one character more than another in the Book of Mormon that I have admired and whose example I have felt to emulate, that character has been Nephi of old; never discouraged, never disheartened, always ready, always determined to labor to the best of his ability for the accomplishment of the purposes of God.
I say to the Latter-day Saints that we should have an ideal in life; that we should have an object we wish to reach, and that object should be that to the full extent of our ability, to the full extent of the power that God has given us, physical, intellectual, and spiritual, we will accomplish His purposes here on the earth. We should have an ambition that no man shall do more for the onward advancement of God's kingdom than we. As laborers in the different Stakes of Zion, standing as presidents of Stakes or as counselors to a president of a Stake, no man should allow any other member of that Stake to be a more honest tithe payer than he is. I say no man should preside over a Stake unless he is absolutely honest with God in paying his tithing. Why? Because he cannot conscientiously urge upon other people to be strictly honest. If we have been careless in this particular in the past, let us be careless no more. I say no man presiding over a Stake of Zion or over a ward should fail to pay his tithes, or should fail to observe the Word of Wisdom. Why? Because he is unable to stand up before a body of people and teach them by the demonstration of the spirit of God that they ought to obey these commandments from the Lord. This is our duty —to place ourselves in a position whereby when we stand up to teach the people, we can teach them by the inspiration of the spirit of God as it shall descend upon us; but if we are not observing the commandments of God, we cannot with power, and with force, and with strength urge upon other people that they obey the commandments that we ourselves are failing to obey.
We have heard here today from the lips of the President of the Quorum of the Apostles, that the First Presidency of the Church at the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith could not be organized. Why? Because men holding the Apostleship were not true to their covenants to God. That was why they were led away from that straight and narrow path. They failed to follow their file leader who stood at the head of the quorum of the Apostles. They failed to follow that man upon whom the mantle of the Prophet Joseph Smith fell.
There are those that know not God. There are those that think the Latter-day Saints are a mistaken people, that they are deluded and that they have no faith in the supernatural; but I say here today that I know the mantle of Joseph Smith fell upon the Prophet Brigham Young. I know it, and I am willing to meet the testimony that I bear. How do I know it? I know it because of my mother, a more honest woman than whom never lived, a more devoted Latter-day Saint cannot be found; because she and scores of others have told me that they saw the Prophet Brigham Young when he spoke with the voice of Joseph Smith; when he looked like the prophet Joseph; and I know that these people are honest; and in addition to this I know by the inspiration of God to me that Brigham Young was a Prophet of God. I know that those that lost the spirit of God, that failed to follow the Prophet Brigham Young, have come to naught. There are none who were led away from the Church but those who failed, to follow their file leader. Brigham Young was the only file leader that amounted to anything; and the Church of God under the leadership of God, using the Prophet Brigham Young as an instrument in His hands, has grown and increased and spread abroad in the land, and has filled these mountains. We are here today what the Prophet Joseph said we should be, "a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains." I will read to you the exact language of that prophecy uttered by Joseph Smith with reference to the Latter-day Saints coming to these mountains. "I prophesied that the Saints would continue to suffer much affliction, and would be driven to the Rocky Mountains; many would apostatize; others would be put to death by our persecutors, or lose their lives in consequence of exposure and disease, but more would live to go and assist in making settlements and building cities and see the Saints become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains." Now I have read this in your hearing, and I desire particularly to call the attention of all Israel to this prophecy, and to the fact that it has been fulfilled. I have done this recently in several of the Stakes of Zion. I have done it because there is a question, and an active labor now being carried out among the Latter-day Saints by what is known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but as Brother Richards, I think it was, said, there is no such thing, as the Church was never disorganized. But I desire to call your attention to this one prophecy. The Prophet of God proclaimed that the Saints should be driven to the Rocky Mountains; that they should become in the Rocky Mountains a great and mighty, people, and we are the Saints and the "Josephites" are not in it. So, if the prophecy was uttered by a Prophet of God, and if it has been fulfilled, and if we are the Saints, then the Josephites will have to reject the chief corner stone upon which their religion rests, which is that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God.
Now there is another thing—the Prophet Joseph Smith proclaimed that the Saints should be driven from city to city, from county to county, from state to state, and finally driven out of the confines of the United States, all of which was fulfilled. What else? He said the time would come when not only a city, when not only a county, when not only a state, would array themselves against this handful of people called Mormons, but it should come to pass that the whole United States should array themselves against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Was this prophecy fulfilled? Yes, to the very letter. Driven here from our homes in the states to Mexican soil, the United States sent its army against us, not a state militia, but the army of the United States of America against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but not against the Josephites. Please remember that. This remarkable prophecy must fall to the ground if the Josephites are in it to the least bit of a small particle of a degree. But as if to doubly emphasize the words of the Prophet Joseph, the United States government confiscated all of the property, both real and personal, belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They finally discovered their mistake and gave it back to us, for which we are truly grateful, but we would like them to give back the expense that it cost to manage it while they had it. I have picked up a newspaper and read in bold headlines, "The United States of America versus the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," and I have laid down the paper and said, "Thanks be to God that the United States of America has put upon the prophecies of the Prophet Joseph Smith the stamp of divinity." And I say once more, thanks be to the United States that they have put the quietus on the claims of the Josephite church, because the United States have never arrayed themselves against the Josephites. The Prophet Joseph told us that our name should be cast out for evil all over the world. Why, the Josephites are beloved; nobody casts their name out as evil. Another prophecy that was handled very nicely in the Improvement Era, and to which I am really indebted for the idea coming into my head: The assistant editor took up the question of an interview with the Prophet Joseph by the late Stephen A. Douglass, When this Stephen A. Douglass was an obscure attorney he met with the Prophet Joseph and they conversed about the affairs of the offices of the government, and in that interview Joseph told this obscure attorney, "The day will come, Mr. Douglass, when you will aspire to be President of the United States, and I say to you, if you shall ever raise your hand against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you shall be defeated in your ambition, and you shall never reach the presidential, chair." Years rolled on, and this obscure man became noted in Illinois; he became a member of the legislature, he entered the halls of Congress; and he finally aspired to the presidential chair; and thinking that he could gain some slight political advantage by opposing the Latter-day Saints, he did it. The "Deseret Evening News" then took up his opposition, quoted to him what the Prophet of God said—that he should be defeated, told him that he had sealed his own doom. He was defeated. One more nail, my friends, in the coffin of our Josephite friends; because it was not the Josephites that Stephen A. Douglass raised his voice against, but it was the Church of Christ that Joseph Smith, as the instrument in the hands of God, had established upon the earth, and the keys which he had bestowed upon the Apostles. In opposing that work, Stephen A. Douglass sealed his doom when he aspired to the presidential chair.
These things should appeal to the minds of all young men and young ladies of Israel. We should realize that we have the Church of Christ. We should realize that the power of the Priesthood of God rests upon the men that lead this Church. Why, you take men that come from all over the world, and they are surprised at the great mind, as they term it, that Brigham Young possessed, at the wonderful statesman he was. I recognize the great mind of Brigham Young; I recognize the great man that he was, but I say to you that it was God speaking through and directing Brigham Young that made him the great man that he was. The servants of God are the most humble men that I have ever been associated with in my life. They take no credit to themselves; they realize that they are dependent upon God alone, and that without inspiration of His spirit they are as naught. They not only realize, but they know, that God lives and that He directs them.
Do I know that Lorenzo Snow is a Prophet of God? Yes, I do. Do I know that Wilford Woodruff was a Prophet of God? Yes, I do. Do I know that John Taylor and Brigham Young were Prophets of God? Yes, I do. I know it as well as I know when I take hold of the poles of an electric battery, and they turn on the current, that I have been shocked. Do I know that the gifts and graces of the Gospel abound among the Latter-day Saints? I do. Do I stand here today a living monument, a living witness, that God has raised me from a bed of affliction, where I was given up and told that I had to die? Yes, I do. Do I know that God gave me the witness of the Holy Spirit that I should live and not die? Yes, I do. I say to the Latter-day Saints that I know by the revelations of the spirit of God to me that He lives, that Jesus is the Christ; that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God; and I pray God that we may all so' live that this knowledge may be our guiding star, and I ask it in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Necessity for Faith and Courage—Example of Nephi—Church officers should be exemplars— The Church perpetuated—Prophecies fulfilled— Personal testimonies.
I rejoice exceedingly in having the privilege once more of assembling with the Latter-day Saints in General Conference, and I earnestly desire that the time I may occupy this afternoon may be for our mutual benefit; that the Lord will inspire my mind, that I may be prompted to say something that will strengthen our faith and renew our de- termination to press forward valiantly in the discharge of the duties and the obligations that rest upon us as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have never had any other desire in standing before the Latter-day Saints than that I might be able to say something for their good and for my own good, and that would be calculated to increase that determination that 'Ought to animate each and every Latter-day Saint, to "seek first the kingdom of God."
I realize that we all have our weaknesses, and that we do and say many things that are not pleasing in the sight of our Heavenly Father; but if we desire above all other things upon this earth to know the mind and will of God, and if we desire the strength of character, after we shall learn the mind and will of our Heavenly Father, to carry it out in our lives, I do know that God will help us, and that as we grow in years and in knowledge and in understanding that we will grow also in the power and the ability to accomplish His will.
I have rejoiced exceedingly in the teachings of this conference. When President Cannon was preaching of the faith needed by the Latter-day Saints, there came to my mind that scripture which was quoted here yesterday by Brother Cowley, from the Prophet Nephi, that faithful man, and I felt in my heart that when it came my time to speak to the Latter-day Saints, I should quote that passage to them, and urge upon them to gain the same faith that Nephi of old had; and I rejoice in the testimony that was borne here by Brother Cowley when he quoted that passage to us in our meeting.
I feel that there is an abundance of room for the Latter-day Saints to cultivate that faith. I feel that we should learn never to become discouraged. I endorse with all my heart the remarks of Brother Joseph F. Smith, that we should never become discouraged, but that we should always be full of faith, full of determination to labor for the onward advancement of the kingdom of God upon the earth. I rejoice myself that the Lord has blessed me with a hopeful disposition; rejoice in the fact that it requires a great deal to discourage me in any of the things of this life. In the battle of life I am not easily discouraged. I believe in the saying: "If there is ever a time for a man to be ambitious, it is not when ambition is easy, but when it is hard." Then is the time for us to labor, and in the same sentence from which I am quoting are these words: "Fight in the dark; if you are down, die hard and you will not die at all."
I believe there are many Latter-day Saints who in sickness give up; they surrender to the power of the adversary; and I believe that there are many sleeping in their graves who might have lived to labor for the onward advancement of God's kingdom, if they had been determined to live, determined that they would not die, unless in the providence of God they had finished their labor here on the earth. I believe there is something in the will power that God has given to us. I believe when we determine within our hearts that by and with the blessings of God our Heavenly Father we will accomplish a certain labor, God gives the ability to accomplish that labor; but when we lay down, when we become discouraged, when we look at the top of the mountain and say it is impossible to climb to the summit, while we never make an effort it will never be accomplished.
Nephi said to his father that he would go and do the things which the Lord commanded, and when his brethren failed to get the plates and they came back discouraged, he was not discouraged, but said unto his brethren: "Let us go up again unto Jerusalem; let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of God, for the Lord is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea or even his tens of thousands." And after they had tried again and were discouraged, he tried once more, He said to his brethren: "As the Lord lives and as we live we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness until we have accomplished that which the Lord has commanded us." Now we as Latter-day Saints should remember that Nephi succeeded; we should remember that in the face of obstacles he secured the plates containing the precious words of God; that he secured the record which was beyond price; that was invaluable to his descendants, and without which it would have been difficult for many of them to have found the straight and narrow path that leads to life eternal.
If there is one character more than another in the Book of Mormon that I have admired and whose example I have felt to emulate, that character has been Nephi of old; never discouraged, never disheartened, always ready, always determined to labor to the best of his ability for the accomplishment of the purposes of God.
I say to the Latter-day Saints that we should have an ideal in life; that we should have an object we wish to reach, and that object should be that to the full extent of our ability, to the full extent of the power that God has given us, physical, intellectual, and spiritual, we will accomplish His purposes here on the earth. We should have an ambition that no man shall do more for the onward advancement of God's kingdom than we. As laborers in the different Stakes of Zion, standing as presidents of Stakes or as counselors to a president of a Stake, no man should allow any other member of that Stake to be a more honest tithe payer than he is. I say no man should preside over a Stake unless he is absolutely honest with God in paying his tithing. Why? Because he cannot conscientiously urge upon other people to be strictly honest. If we have been careless in this particular in the past, let us be careless no more. I say no man presiding over a Stake of Zion or over a ward should fail to pay his tithes, or should fail to observe the Word of Wisdom. Why? Because he is unable to stand up before a body of people and teach them by the demonstration of the spirit of God that they ought to obey these commandments from the Lord. This is our duty —to place ourselves in a position whereby when we stand up to teach the people, we can teach them by the inspiration of the spirit of God as it shall descend upon us; but if we are not observing the commandments of God, we cannot with power, and with force, and with strength urge upon other people that they obey the commandments that we ourselves are failing to obey.
We have heard here today from the lips of the President of the Quorum of the Apostles, that the First Presidency of the Church at the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith could not be organized. Why? Because men holding the Apostleship were not true to their covenants to God. That was why they were led away from that straight and narrow path. They failed to follow their file leader who stood at the head of the quorum of the Apostles. They failed to follow that man upon whom the mantle of the Prophet Joseph Smith fell.
There are those that know not God. There are those that think the Latter-day Saints are a mistaken people, that they are deluded and that they have no faith in the supernatural; but I say here today that I know the mantle of Joseph Smith fell upon the Prophet Brigham Young. I know it, and I am willing to meet the testimony that I bear. How do I know it? I know it because of my mother, a more honest woman than whom never lived, a more devoted Latter-day Saint cannot be found; because she and scores of others have told me that they saw the Prophet Brigham Young when he spoke with the voice of Joseph Smith; when he looked like the prophet Joseph; and I know that these people are honest; and in addition to this I know by the inspiration of God to me that Brigham Young was a Prophet of God. I know that those that lost the spirit of God, that failed to follow the Prophet Brigham Young, have come to naught. There are none who were led away from the Church but those who failed, to follow their file leader. Brigham Young was the only file leader that amounted to anything; and the Church of God under the leadership of God, using the Prophet Brigham Young as an instrument in His hands, has grown and increased and spread abroad in the land, and has filled these mountains. We are here today what the Prophet Joseph said we should be, "a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains." I will read to you the exact language of that prophecy uttered by Joseph Smith with reference to the Latter-day Saints coming to these mountains. "I prophesied that the Saints would continue to suffer much affliction, and would be driven to the Rocky Mountains; many would apostatize; others would be put to death by our persecutors, or lose their lives in consequence of exposure and disease, but more would live to go and assist in making settlements and building cities and see the Saints become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains." Now I have read this in your hearing, and I desire particularly to call the attention of all Israel to this prophecy, and to the fact that it has been fulfilled. I have done this recently in several of the Stakes of Zion. I have done it because there is a question, and an active labor now being carried out among the Latter-day Saints by what is known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but as Brother Richards, I think it was, said, there is no such thing, as the Church was never disorganized. But I desire to call your attention to this one prophecy. The Prophet of God proclaimed that the Saints should be driven to the Rocky Mountains; that they should become in the Rocky Mountains a great and mighty, people, and we are the Saints and the "Josephites" are not in it. So, if the prophecy was uttered by a Prophet of God, and if it has been fulfilled, and if we are the Saints, then the Josephites will have to reject the chief corner stone upon which their religion rests, which is that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God.
Now there is another thing—the Prophet Joseph Smith proclaimed that the Saints should be driven from city to city, from county to county, from state to state, and finally driven out of the confines of the United States, all of which was fulfilled. What else? He said the time would come when not only a city, when not only a county, when not only a state, would array themselves against this handful of people called Mormons, but it should come to pass that the whole United States should array themselves against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Was this prophecy fulfilled? Yes, to the very letter. Driven here from our homes in the states to Mexican soil, the United States sent its army against us, not a state militia, but the army of the United States of America against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but not against the Josephites. Please remember that. This remarkable prophecy must fall to the ground if the Josephites are in it to the least bit of a small particle of a degree. But as if to doubly emphasize the words of the Prophet Joseph, the United States government confiscated all of the property, both real and personal, belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They finally discovered their mistake and gave it back to us, for which we are truly grateful, but we would like them to give back the expense that it cost to manage it while they had it. I have picked up a newspaper and read in bold headlines, "The United States of America versus the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," and I have laid down the paper and said, "Thanks be to God that the United States of America has put upon the prophecies of the Prophet Joseph Smith the stamp of divinity." And I say once more, thanks be to the United States that they have put the quietus on the claims of the Josephite church, because the United States have never arrayed themselves against the Josephites. The Prophet Joseph told us that our name should be cast out for evil all over the world. Why, the Josephites are beloved; nobody casts their name out as evil. Another prophecy that was handled very nicely in the Improvement Era, and to which I am really indebted for the idea coming into my head: The assistant editor took up the question of an interview with the Prophet Joseph by the late Stephen A. Douglass, When this Stephen A. Douglass was an obscure attorney he met with the Prophet Joseph and they conversed about the affairs of the offices of the government, and in that interview Joseph told this obscure attorney, "The day will come, Mr. Douglass, when you will aspire to be President of the United States, and I say to you, if you shall ever raise your hand against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you shall be defeated in your ambition, and you shall never reach the presidential, chair." Years rolled on, and this obscure man became noted in Illinois; he became a member of the legislature, he entered the halls of Congress; and he finally aspired to the presidential chair; and thinking that he could gain some slight political advantage by opposing the Latter-day Saints, he did it. The "Deseret Evening News" then took up his opposition, quoted to him what the Prophet of God said—that he should be defeated, told him that he had sealed his own doom. He was defeated. One more nail, my friends, in the coffin of our Josephite friends; because it was not the Josephites that Stephen A. Douglass raised his voice against, but it was the Church of Christ that Joseph Smith, as the instrument in the hands of God, had established upon the earth, and the keys which he had bestowed upon the Apostles. In opposing that work, Stephen A. Douglass sealed his doom when he aspired to the presidential chair.
These things should appeal to the minds of all young men and young ladies of Israel. We should realize that we have the Church of Christ. We should realize that the power of the Priesthood of God rests upon the men that lead this Church. Why, you take men that come from all over the world, and they are surprised at the great mind, as they term it, that Brigham Young possessed, at the wonderful statesman he was. I recognize the great mind of Brigham Young; I recognize the great man that he was, but I say to you that it was God speaking through and directing Brigham Young that made him the great man that he was. The servants of God are the most humble men that I have ever been associated with in my life. They take no credit to themselves; they realize that they are dependent upon God alone, and that without inspiration of His spirit they are as naught. They not only realize, but they know, that God lives and that He directs them.
Do I know that Lorenzo Snow is a Prophet of God? Yes, I do. Do I know that Wilford Woodruff was a Prophet of God? Yes, I do. Do I know that John Taylor and Brigham Young were Prophets of God? Yes, I do. I know it as well as I know when I take hold of the poles of an electric battery, and they turn on the current, that I have been shocked. Do I know that the gifts and graces of the Gospel abound among the Latter-day Saints? I do. Do I stand here today a living monument, a living witness, that God has raised me from a bed of affliction, where I was given up and told that I had to die? Yes, I do. Do I know that God gave me the witness of the Holy Spirit that I should live and not die? Yes, I do. I say to the Latter-day Saints that I know by the revelations of the spirit of God to me that He lives, that Jesus is the Christ; that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God; and I pray God that we may all so' live that this knowledge may be our guiding star, and I ask it in the name of Jesus. Amen.
ELDER GEORGE TEASDALE.
Promises of God—Restoration of the Priesthood—Saints a pure people—Consistency of prayer—Saints must be just—Confidence in the President.
I doubt very much if it is possible for us to appreciate the blessings that we enjoy as a people. It may be that those who have been gathered from the nations of the earth appreciate the Gospel, appreciate the light and truth that is vouchsafed unto us, individually, who serve God and keep His commandments. I know that my soul is filled with thanksgiving to Almighty God for the privilege I have of being a member of the Church of Christ. Why it should be so persistently called the "Mormon Church" is a curiosity. The Lord has given unto us a promise that is very sweet to us, and that is, that if we will love Him and keep His commandments we shall prosper in the land. He has also given unto us the hope of a glorious resurrection. We do not doubt the resurrection; we do not doubt the ability of God to raise us from the dead, for He promised the house of Israel, through Ezekiel, that He would bring them out of their graves, and put them in the lands of their possessions, and that they should know that He was God.
Let me refer you to the revelation that was given concerning the using of wine for the Sacrament. You will find it in the 27th section of the Doctrine and Covenants, which says:
3. Wherefore a commandment I give unto you, that you shall not purchase wine, neither strong' drink of your enemies:
4. Wherefore, you shall partake of none, except it is made new among you; yea, in my Father's kingdom which shall be built upon the earth.
5. Behold, this is wisdom in me; wherefore marvel not, for the hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with you on the earth, and with Moroni, whom I have sent among you to reveal the Book of Mormon containing the fulness of my everlasting Gospel", to whom I have committed the keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim:
6. And also with Elias, to whom I have committed the keys of bringing to pass the restoration of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began, concerning the last days:
7. And also John, the son of Zacharias, which Zacharias he (Elias) visited and gave promise that he should have a son and his name should be John, and he should be filled with the spirit of Elias;
8. Which John I have sent unto you my servants Joseph 'Smith Jr., and Oliver Cowdery, to ordain you unto this Priesthood, which you have received that you might be called and ordained even as Aaron:
9. And also Elijah unto whom I have committed the keys of the power of turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, that the whole earth may not be smitten with a curse:
10. And also with Joseph and Jacob and Isaac, and Abraham, your fathers, by whom the promises remain;
11. And also with Michael, or Adam, the father of all, the prince of all, the ancient of days.
12. And also with Pater, and James, and John, whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you to be Apostles and especial witnesses of my name, and bear the keys of your ministry, and of the same things which I revealed unto them:
13. Unto whom I have committed the keys of my kingdom, and a dispensation of the Gospel for the last times, and for the fulness of times in the which I will gather together in one all things, both which are in heaven and which are on earth:
14. And also with all those whom my Father hath given me out of the world:
15. Wherefore, lift up your hearts and rejoice, and gird up your loins, and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all ye may be able to stand.
16. Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness-, and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace which I have sent mine angels to commit unto you.
17. Taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked;
18. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of my spirit which I will pour out upon you, and my word which I reveal unto you and be agreed as touching all things whatsoever ye ask of me, and be faithful until I come, and ye shall be caught up, that where I am ye shall be also. Amen.
We have the testimony of the Lord as to His having established His Church upon earth, having restored to the earth the Melchisedek Priesthood and Apostleship, and given unto man power on the earth to preach His Gospel and to administer in the ordinances of His house, and we are His witnesses. I can also bear witness to the truth of the expression of President Joseph F. Smith this morning with regard to men, besides the general authorities, being anxious concerning this work. I know that men are anxious concerning this work, those that are living their religion, living the principles of righteousness. I know the Latter-day Saints are not guilty of whoredoms and abominations, and fornications and adultery; it would be impossible for the Latter-day Saints to be guilty of anything of the kind, for a Saint is a man who is sanctified, who has accepted the principles of redemption, whom God has redeemed from death. A Saint is a man or a woman that worships the living and true God in the name of Jesus Christ, who acknowledges His hand in all things, who has repented of sins and gone forth into the waters of baptism and been immersed in the likeness of the burial of Christ and His resurrection, and who has received the efficacy of the precious blood of Christ, and who has received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and who has the fellowship of the Holy Ghost. Well, now it would be impossible for them to be adulterers, fornicators—just impossible. I want you to distinctly understand that the kingdom of God is like a man that went and sowed wheat and his enemy came and sowed tares, and weave the wheat and tares growing up with the wheat, and the wheat gets the character of the tares; but it is not so; it is the pure in heart that love God; it is the pure in heart that love the principles of the Gospel; it is the pure in heart that are faithful in the testimony of Jesus, and in the saying and doing of His will and the keeping of His commandments; they love righteousness and hate iniquity; and every man that hath the hope of a glorious resurrection, that hath the hope of the Lord Jesus Christ; that hath the hope of His kingdom to come, purifieth himself, even as God is pure; and they seek to become perfect; they strive to be honest and upright and full of integrity; they strive to keep the commandments of God for their own dear sakes in order that they may please God. If they do not do that, what worth are they? The ancient prophets were anxious that they should get this testimony that they pleased God. My anxiety is common with the Latter-day Saints; we are in our humble way striving to serve God and keep His commandments. I came out of the world for this. That is why, perchance, I appreciate it so much, to think that my Father should draw me into His fold; that He should give me the privilege of the schooling and experience that I have had since the year 1852.
We had a powerful testimony at the organization of the Presidency. We did not meet together with any such feeling or idea in our hearts, that the Presidency should then be organized, but our Father in heaven by the power of His Spirit demonstrated unto, us individually that it was His will; we knew it; we had the testimony. When I embraced this Gospel President Young was presiding, and I have had my experience under Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and Lorenzo Snow. I know that these men are men of God. I know that they were pure in heart, and that they are pure in heart. I know that their disposition is the love of righteousness. They have endeavored, like the rest of us, to glorify God in their good works, and to seek to establish His righteousness. That is what we are striving in our humble way to do.
I know that the Lord hears and answers prayers. I know the infidels ridicule the Idea of prayer—the idea of asking a blessing on the food. I think it is consistent for the man that reverences God and acknowledges His hand in all things, who realizes that the Lord provides, and who understands this in his experience, to say: "Our Father, which art in heaven we thank Thee for this food, and pray Thee to bless it to the healing and nourishing of our bodies, and let Thy Spirit be in our hearts, and guide and direct us as Thy children, in the name of Jesus. Amen." What is there curious about that? Is it curious that a man should have that faith and confidence in God? And then knowing his own weaknesses and his own inability, that he should plead before the Lord in the name of Jesus Christ for the fellowship of His Spirit, for His protecting care, for His divine light, and more, for the testimony that we know that God lives, and that we know that Jesus is the Christ; that He has established His Church on the earth; that we have been the happy recipients of its blessings? "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, for herein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith." There is no happiness in this world that is superior to the happiness of the man or woman that loves God and keeps His commandments.
And again, we ought to be just; we want to have a part in the resurrection of the just. There are two resurrections, the resurrection of the just and the resurrection of the unjust, and individually we will have a part in one of these resurrections. Now we want to be just for our own sakes; we want to be honest, to be upright and to pay our just debts, so that we may owe no man anything. We want to be just in all of our actions to all men and to treat all men right whether they see as we do or not—it does not make any difference, they are our brethren. There was a time when we did not see, nor understand, and we don't know what may be in the future for them. Paul was a persecutor of the Saints, and the Lord Jesus Christ called unto Him, "Why persecutest thou me?" Persecuting the Lord Jesus? Why, yes, when they persecute the Latter-day Saints they persecute the Lord Jesus, for we are His. We do not represent ourselves, we represent Him. We plead with the people in Christ's stead to be fully reconciled to God. These are our pleadings all the time.
I am thankful for the privilege of bearing my testimony at this Conference; and when we say I know that this work is of the Lord, we mean, I know that God has established His Church upon the earth with Apostles, and Prophets, and Evangelists, and Teachers, and Pastors, and for the work of the ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ. I know it. I knew it a good many years ago, and I have a living testimony of this fact, and so have you, so have you my beloved brethren and sisters. I walked clown with a young man on the sidewalk, and in conversing with him coming to meeting, his testimony and conversation carried me back to the time when I was of his age—Just as devoted as I knew how to be; fond of being in the Sunday school; fond of being in the Young Men's Mutual Improvement associations, and in the quorums of the Priesthood; und of being faithful in tithes and offerings, and in sustaining the Priesthood; striving to Keep clean from the blood and sins of this generation; and this reminded me of the testimony of President Joseph F. Smith. He remembers that when he held no authority in this Church he was just as devoted to the cause of truth as he knew how to be. It seems that it is natural for some men to serve God and keep His commandments; they have that disposition, and they love righteousness. I say that the Latter-day Saints are a righteous people. This is my testimony. I am laboring with them all the time and have been for a number of years, as I have said, and for most of the time have been more or less engaged in the ministry. I feel thankful to God my eternal Father beyond expression for the testimony that He has given to me, for the schooling and experience vouchsafed unto me, and I pray God that His blessings may be continued unto those holding His authority.
I have all the confidence in the world in President Lorenzo Snow. Why? Simply because for a number of years I have been under his schooling in connection with my brethren of the Twelve. We know his worth; we know that it has been a great benefit and blessing unto us; we know it in our experience, and our hearts go out to him with all the affection possible, for "we know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren;" we do, and we sustain them by our faith and prayers because we love them.
My beloved fellow-laborers, God bless you, and give us faith and power that we may be true in our integrity, that we; may never flinch, that we may be enabled to remain and endure to the end, that when we have finished our probation on earth, we may enter Into that glorious rest that is promised unto all those that love God and keep His commandments, through Jesus Christ. Amen.
The choir and congregation sang: Come, come, ye Saints, nor toil nor labor fear.
Benediction by Elder Joseph E. Taylor.
Conference adjourned till Sunday morning, Oct. 9th, at 10 a. m.
Promises of God—Restoration of the Priesthood—Saints a pure people—Consistency of prayer—Saints must be just—Confidence in the President.
I doubt very much if it is possible for us to appreciate the blessings that we enjoy as a people. It may be that those who have been gathered from the nations of the earth appreciate the Gospel, appreciate the light and truth that is vouchsafed unto us, individually, who serve God and keep His commandments. I know that my soul is filled with thanksgiving to Almighty God for the privilege I have of being a member of the Church of Christ. Why it should be so persistently called the "Mormon Church" is a curiosity. The Lord has given unto us a promise that is very sweet to us, and that is, that if we will love Him and keep His commandments we shall prosper in the land. He has also given unto us the hope of a glorious resurrection. We do not doubt the resurrection; we do not doubt the ability of God to raise us from the dead, for He promised the house of Israel, through Ezekiel, that He would bring them out of their graves, and put them in the lands of their possessions, and that they should know that He was God.
Let me refer you to the revelation that was given concerning the using of wine for the Sacrament. You will find it in the 27th section of the Doctrine and Covenants, which says:
3. Wherefore a commandment I give unto you, that you shall not purchase wine, neither strong' drink of your enemies:
4. Wherefore, you shall partake of none, except it is made new among you; yea, in my Father's kingdom which shall be built upon the earth.
5. Behold, this is wisdom in me; wherefore marvel not, for the hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with you on the earth, and with Moroni, whom I have sent among you to reveal the Book of Mormon containing the fulness of my everlasting Gospel", to whom I have committed the keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim:
6. And also with Elias, to whom I have committed the keys of bringing to pass the restoration of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began, concerning the last days:
7. And also John, the son of Zacharias, which Zacharias he (Elias) visited and gave promise that he should have a son and his name should be John, and he should be filled with the spirit of Elias;
8. Which John I have sent unto you my servants Joseph 'Smith Jr., and Oliver Cowdery, to ordain you unto this Priesthood, which you have received that you might be called and ordained even as Aaron:
9. And also Elijah unto whom I have committed the keys of the power of turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, that the whole earth may not be smitten with a curse:
10. And also with Joseph and Jacob and Isaac, and Abraham, your fathers, by whom the promises remain;
11. And also with Michael, or Adam, the father of all, the prince of all, the ancient of days.
12. And also with Pater, and James, and John, whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you to be Apostles and especial witnesses of my name, and bear the keys of your ministry, and of the same things which I revealed unto them:
13. Unto whom I have committed the keys of my kingdom, and a dispensation of the Gospel for the last times, and for the fulness of times in the which I will gather together in one all things, both which are in heaven and which are on earth:
14. And also with all those whom my Father hath given me out of the world:
15. Wherefore, lift up your hearts and rejoice, and gird up your loins, and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all ye may be able to stand.
16. Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness-, and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace which I have sent mine angels to commit unto you.
17. Taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked;
18. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of my spirit which I will pour out upon you, and my word which I reveal unto you and be agreed as touching all things whatsoever ye ask of me, and be faithful until I come, and ye shall be caught up, that where I am ye shall be also. Amen.
We have the testimony of the Lord as to His having established His Church upon earth, having restored to the earth the Melchisedek Priesthood and Apostleship, and given unto man power on the earth to preach His Gospel and to administer in the ordinances of His house, and we are His witnesses. I can also bear witness to the truth of the expression of President Joseph F. Smith this morning with regard to men, besides the general authorities, being anxious concerning this work. I know that men are anxious concerning this work, those that are living their religion, living the principles of righteousness. I know the Latter-day Saints are not guilty of whoredoms and abominations, and fornications and adultery; it would be impossible for the Latter-day Saints to be guilty of anything of the kind, for a Saint is a man who is sanctified, who has accepted the principles of redemption, whom God has redeemed from death. A Saint is a man or a woman that worships the living and true God in the name of Jesus Christ, who acknowledges His hand in all things, who has repented of sins and gone forth into the waters of baptism and been immersed in the likeness of the burial of Christ and His resurrection, and who has received the efficacy of the precious blood of Christ, and who has received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and who has the fellowship of the Holy Ghost. Well, now it would be impossible for them to be adulterers, fornicators—just impossible. I want you to distinctly understand that the kingdom of God is like a man that went and sowed wheat and his enemy came and sowed tares, and weave the wheat and tares growing up with the wheat, and the wheat gets the character of the tares; but it is not so; it is the pure in heart that love God; it is the pure in heart that love the principles of the Gospel; it is the pure in heart that are faithful in the testimony of Jesus, and in the saying and doing of His will and the keeping of His commandments; they love righteousness and hate iniquity; and every man that hath the hope of a glorious resurrection, that hath the hope of the Lord Jesus Christ; that hath the hope of His kingdom to come, purifieth himself, even as God is pure; and they seek to become perfect; they strive to be honest and upright and full of integrity; they strive to keep the commandments of God for their own dear sakes in order that they may please God. If they do not do that, what worth are they? The ancient prophets were anxious that they should get this testimony that they pleased God. My anxiety is common with the Latter-day Saints; we are in our humble way striving to serve God and keep His commandments. I came out of the world for this. That is why, perchance, I appreciate it so much, to think that my Father should draw me into His fold; that He should give me the privilege of the schooling and experience that I have had since the year 1852.
We had a powerful testimony at the organization of the Presidency. We did not meet together with any such feeling or idea in our hearts, that the Presidency should then be organized, but our Father in heaven by the power of His Spirit demonstrated unto, us individually that it was His will; we knew it; we had the testimony. When I embraced this Gospel President Young was presiding, and I have had my experience under Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and Lorenzo Snow. I know that these men are men of God. I know that they were pure in heart, and that they are pure in heart. I know that their disposition is the love of righteousness. They have endeavored, like the rest of us, to glorify God in their good works, and to seek to establish His righteousness. That is what we are striving in our humble way to do.
I know that the Lord hears and answers prayers. I know the infidels ridicule the Idea of prayer—the idea of asking a blessing on the food. I think it is consistent for the man that reverences God and acknowledges His hand in all things, who realizes that the Lord provides, and who understands this in his experience, to say: "Our Father, which art in heaven we thank Thee for this food, and pray Thee to bless it to the healing and nourishing of our bodies, and let Thy Spirit be in our hearts, and guide and direct us as Thy children, in the name of Jesus. Amen." What is there curious about that? Is it curious that a man should have that faith and confidence in God? And then knowing his own weaknesses and his own inability, that he should plead before the Lord in the name of Jesus Christ for the fellowship of His Spirit, for His protecting care, for His divine light, and more, for the testimony that we know that God lives, and that we know that Jesus is the Christ; that He has established His Church on the earth; that we have been the happy recipients of its blessings? "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, for herein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith." There is no happiness in this world that is superior to the happiness of the man or woman that loves God and keeps His commandments.
And again, we ought to be just; we want to have a part in the resurrection of the just. There are two resurrections, the resurrection of the just and the resurrection of the unjust, and individually we will have a part in one of these resurrections. Now we want to be just for our own sakes; we want to be honest, to be upright and to pay our just debts, so that we may owe no man anything. We want to be just in all of our actions to all men and to treat all men right whether they see as we do or not—it does not make any difference, they are our brethren. There was a time when we did not see, nor understand, and we don't know what may be in the future for them. Paul was a persecutor of the Saints, and the Lord Jesus Christ called unto Him, "Why persecutest thou me?" Persecuting the Lord Jesus? Why, yes, when they persecute the Latter-day Saints they persecute the Lord Jesus, for we are His. We do not represent ourselves, we represent Him. We plead with the people in Christ's stead to be fully reconciled to God. These are our pleadings all the time.
I am thankful for the privilege of bearing my testimony at this Conference; and when we say I know that this work is of the Lord, we mean, I know that God has established His Church upon the earth with Apostles, and Prophets, and Evangelists, and Teachers, and Pastors, and for the work of the ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ. I know it. I knew it a good many years ago, and I have a living testimony of this fact, and so have you, so have you my beloved brethren and sisters. I walked clown with a young man on the sidewalk, and in conversing with him coming to meeting, his testimony and conversation carried me back to the time when I was of his age—Just as devoted as I knew how to be; fond of being in the Sunday school; fond of being in the Young Men's Mutual Improvement associations, and in the quorums of the Priesthood; und of being faithful in tithes and offerings, and in sustaining the Priesthood; striving to Keep clean from the blood and sins of this generation; and this reminded me of the testimony of President Joseph F. Smith. He remembers that when he held no authority in this Church he was just as devoted to the cause of truth as he knew how to be. It seems that it is natural for some men to serve God and keep His commandments; they have that disposition, and they love righteousness. I say that the Latter-day Saints are a righteous people. This is my testimony. I am laboring with them all the time and have been for a number of years, as I have said, and for most of the time have been more or less engaged in the ministry. I feel thankful to God my eternal Father beyond expression for the testimony that He has given to me, for the schooling and experience vouchsafed unto me, and I pray God that His blessings may be continued unto those holding His authority.
I have all the confidence in the world in President Lorenzo Snow. Why? Simply because for a number of years I have been under his schooling in connection with my brethren of the Twelve. We know his worth; we know that it has been a great benefit and blessing unto us; we know it in our experience, and our hearts go out to him with all the affection possible, for "we know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren;" we do, and we sustain them by our faith and prayers because we love them.
My beloved fellow-laborers, God bless you, and give us faith and power that we may be true in our integrity, that we; may never flinch, that we may be enabled to remain and endure to the end, that when we have finished our probation on earth, we may enter Into that glorious rest that is promised unto all those that love God and keep His commandments, through Jesus Christ. Amen.
The choir and congregation sang: Come, come, ye Saints, nor toil nor labor fear.
Benediction by Elder Joseph E. Taylor.
Conference adjourned till Sunday morning, Oct. 9th, at 10 a. m.
THIRD DAY.
Sunday Morning, Oct. 9, 10 a. m.
The Huntington choir, led by Thomas Hardie, sang the hymn which begins:
Softly beams the sacred dawning
Of the great Millennial morn,
And to Saints gives welcome warning,
That the day is hasting on.
Prayer by Elder Matthias F. Cowley.
The same choir sang the anthem: Cry out and shout.
Sunday Morning, Oct. 9, 10 a. m.
The Huntington choir, led by Thomas Hardie, sang the hymn which begins:
Softly beams the sacred dawning
Of the great Millennial morn,
And to Saints gives welcome warning,
That the day is hasting on.
Prayer by Elder Matthias F. Cowley.
The same choir sang the anthem: Cry out and shout.
ELDER JOHN HENRY SMITH.
Benefits of Conference—Instruction of the youth — Family Influence—Force of example—Testimony to the Gospel.
My brethren and sisters, I have enjoyed the opportunity of meeting with you in this Conference and in seeing the spirit that is manifest on the part of the Saints from all parts of the country where they are located, in striving to be represented here upon this occasion. Gatherings such as we have twice a year, bringing us from all parts of the land, enable us to renew our old acquaintanceship, and form new friendships, look into each other's faces, and drink in of the spirit that pervades each district of country from which we come. If we utilize properly the talents that our Father in heaven has given us, all ion their return to their homes and neighborhoods will carry with them a spirit of improvement, and a determination, so far as practicable, to awaken In their district the determination to more fully meet the obligations and requirements of the faith that we have espoused.
We can only judge fairly by comparison; and by these associations that are offered us the opportunity for that comparison is opened up unto us—gathering new thoughts and ideas, and comparing conditions as they exist with ourselves, and as they exist, and are seen and felt in the companionship and spirit of other sections of our country. We can go forth renewed in spirit, aroused in our determination to see that the sections from which we come are fully up to the standard, as presented in other sections of the country, and in the expression of sentiment given to us as we shall meet former acquaintances, and of the hopes and fears 'that we ourselves entertain, and that are manifest in the expressions of others whom we love and with whom we probably mingled in former days.
The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are informed by the sacred scriptures, is "the power of 'God unto salvation." There are none of us that can question this statement made in former times, who have received the impress of that spirit upon which some of the brethren have spoken during the former sessions of this conference. It, without doubts meant fully the adoption of rules, the acceptance of principles, the establishment of a standard, that should guide and govern our lives, or the lives of former day Saints while they were sojourning upon the earth, and that preparation necessary to prepare us for the conditions that exist beyond the veil. Therefore, when we consider the basis of the faith that we have espoused, and that the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is indeed the power of God unto salvation, each one of us can look into our own souls; we know the temptations and trials and besetments of our own lives; we have a full understanding of our own weaknesses-, and under that faith which the Lord has given us in the acceptance of His holy Gospel, we start in to so fully and thoroughly educate ourselves in the understanding of the same, that whenever we comply with each condition, fulfill each and every obligation, there is registered in our own souls, by the spirit of our Father the word of approval; and whenever, perchance, in the performance of our part, and the discharge of the various duties and obligations that rest upon us, we fall below the fulfillment of the sacred duties that we have promised to obey, there is within us the feeling of dissatisfaction, of uncertainty, and of doubt.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, those 'that have received of the impress! of the heavenly gift, who have been partakers of that Gospel which is to be the power of God unto salvation to everyone that shall obey and fulfill its requirements, the opportunities presented in our gathering together upon these occasions, in marking the way of our advancement by comparison with others, actuated by like hope, established in like determination, and pressing forward to the accomplishment of the same purposes, renew within us that determination, and increase the spirit and feeling to do and be indeed the children of the Father who sent us here. There is but little doubt that there are many people who, standing in our organization as members of the Church of Christ, are not fully converted to our principles; there are quite a number, as all of us know who are conversant with the actual conditions that exist among the people everywhere, who are in that frame of mind that they have accepted of the faith, because their parents accepted it. There are some who have been impressed with the idea that the doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints conform to the doctrines of the Scripture, and conforming to them, they accepted of them upon this basis, without the particular effort, or necessary effort to 'secure for themselves the witness of the spirit of that Gospel. They rejoice in the evidences that are manifest upon some occasions in discussions or debates wherein the Scriptures are utilized as an argument in connection with our fellow men to the destruction and overthrow of views that they may have entertained; but there are those who receive from the divine source the witness of that spirit which brings conviction to every fibre of the human being; that writes upon the heart; that fixes itself upon the brain; that establishes itself in such a form that no matter what the circumstances or conditions are in life it is written there not to be effaced; and no matter where the individuals might be, or what the circumstances were, their witness for the truth would be given in humility relying upon the mercies and goodness of their Heavenly Father.
We are acquitting ourselves as a people very nobly in the efforts that we are making in scattering the seeds of the Gospel among the nations of the earth. Our brothers, our fathers, our sons, are performing their duties in this respect with heroic courage and fortitude; but when we look into the internal concerns of our country and state and see the needs and necessities of hosts of our young men especially (when I use the word hosts, I use it in the sense that there are many) who are moral, upright, earnest, and devoted, so far as that is concerned to the regular duties and responsibilities of life, but whose minds have not been touched with the sacred fire, whose hearts have gone out in the various directions in the accomplishment of their walks in life, so far as the temporal duties of life are concerned, and who have been led to think perchance father and mother, carried away in their enthusiasm for the faith that they have espoused, are not altogether in that condition or frame of mind that would impress them with that which seems so dear to father and mother, we realize that every effort made in the direction of the improvement and establishment in their minds of a proper understanding of the Gospel is a duty we owe to them. I realize that in our anxiety sometimes as parents in these matters, the constant following of our sons, the constant effort to impress them with the same religious fire that has been aroused in our breasts, may in some instances be overdone, as remarked to me upon one occasion by an eminent man in our nation who classes himself as an infidel. "I became infidel," he remarked, "to the faith of my fathers for the reason of the strict anxiety upon the part gf father and mother to impress me with their faith." While this should not be an excuse on the part of men for disregarding the wishes of moral fathers and mothers, who sought to impress upon the minds of their children the sacred obligation they owed to their Father in heaven, there may be in some few instances cause for complaint on the part of thoughtless boys and thoughtless girls in connection with this matter. It seems to me that the proper application of our home government, the seeking to secure the aid and assistance of the boys and the girls in the discharge of the duties of that home, in their taking part in family prayer, in their assisting in the saying of grace at the table, in their being kindly and gently pled with, in striving to awaken in their minds that sacred reverence or love for the Supreme Being, would bridge most of the chasms that are found in the way of the development of legitimate and proper faith in the minds of some of the thoughtless ones.
I am a believer in the thought that the sons and daughters of the Latter-day Saints are not recreant to their faith, or to the faith of their fathers. I recognize the fact in my own experience, as I note the conditions that arise in many lives, that while there is a thoughtless period that attends every boy and every girl, when they pass a certain stage in their history, their hearts turn to their home and to the influences of that home, and to the efforts that were made to impress them in that home with a sacred regard for the name of their Heavenly Father, and for the sacred laws that He has given. And inasmuch as we fulfill the requirements placed upon us to teach our sons and daughters the principles of that Gospel, that power of God unto salvation; have sought to establish within them honesty; have sought to fix upon their minds that justice and mercy and propriety and wisdom should govern them as the seeds are sown; as their minds are guarded; as their hearts are cultivated; as 'they are uplifted in their being by the uprightness and consistency and prudence of the examples of their fathers and mothers, one by one they will find themselves taking their place in the ranks of that religion that God has called to aid in carrying forth the truths of the Gospel which He has given to us in our day.
I desire, my brethren and sisters that you will consider these matters; that there shall be adopted in the regulations of every home that wisdom and prudence that should characterize the Bishop of a ward, the Teachers of blocks, the High Priests, Seventies and Elders, and all that class of men who have been made partakers of the heavenly gift, that the spirit of truth, striking our own souls and vibrating therein, shall make its way among the children of men; that all who may enter our home circle or our neighborhood circle, shall feel and see that our hearts are in attune to the principles of right, mercy, and justice and the principles of propriety in everything that tends to turn and make man and woman more noble and true.
In connection with my brethren, I desire to bear my testimony to the truth of the Gospel, and the sacredness of that mission given of God in the introduction of this work, and to the uprightness and honesty and determination that exist on the part of those you have sustained as guides in connection with this work, and to the spirit of love engendered in their breasts for the work of God and the extension of the principles of the Gospel on the lines of justice and right so far as it is possible for man with his weaknesses to walk in harmony with the wishes of our Father in heaven. I bear you my witness that this is indeed the Gospel of Christ; that it will be indeed a power of God unto salvation to every man and every woman that shall adopt its rules and walk in the way marked out by the revealed will of our Father in the day and age in which we live. That God may bless you all, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Benefits of Conference—Instruction of the youth — Family Influence—Force of example—Testimony to the Gospel.
My brethren and sisters, I have enjoyed the opportunity of meeting with you in this Conference and in seeing the spirit that is manifest on the part of the Saints from all parts of the country where they are located, in striving to be represented here upon this occasion. Gatherings such as we have twice a year, bringing us from all parts of the land, enable us to renew our old acquaintanceship, and form new friendships, look into each other's faces, and drink in of the spirit that pervades each district of country from which we come. If we utilize properly the talents that our Father in heaven has given us, all ion their return to their homes and neighborhoods will carry with them a spirit of improvement, and a determination, so far as practicable, to awaken In their district the determination to more fully meet the obligations and requirements of the faith that we have espoused.
We can only judge fairly by comparison; and by these associations that are offered us the opportunity for that comparison is opened up unto us—gathering new thoughts and ideas, and comparing conditions as they exist with ourselves, and as they exist, and are seen and felt in the companionship and spirit of other sections of our country. We can go forth renewed in spirit, aroused in our determination to see that the sections from which we come are fully up to the standard, as presented in other sections of the country, and in the expression of sentiment given to us as we shall meet former acquaintances, and of the hopes and fears 'that we ourselves entertain, and that are manifest in the expressions of others whom we love and with whom we probably mingled in former days.
The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are informed by the sacred scriptures, is "the power of 'God unto salvation." There are none of us that can question this statement made in former times, who have received the impress of that spirit upon which some of the brethren have spoken during the former sessions of this conference. It, without doubts meant fully the adoption of rules, the acceptance of principles, the establishment of a standard, that should guide and govern our lives, or the lives of former day Saints while they were sojourning upon the earth, and that preparation necessary to prepare us for the conditions that exist beyond the veil. Therefore, when we consider the basis of the faith that we have espoused, and that the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is indeed the power of God unto salvation, each one of us can look into our own souls; we know the temptations and trials and besetments of our own lives; we have a full understanding of our own weaknesses-, and under that faith which the Lord has given us in the acceptance of His holy Gospel, we start in to so fully and thoroughly educate ourselves in the understanding of the same, that whenever we comply with each condition, fulfill each and every obligation, there is registered in our own souls, by the spirit of our Father the word of approval; and whenever, perchance, in the performance of our part, and the discharge of the various duties and obligations that rest upon us, we fall below the fulfillment of the sacred duties that we have promised to obey, there is within us the feeling of dissatisfaction, of uncertainty, and of doubt.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, those 'that have received of the impress! of the heavenly gift, who have been partakers of that Gospel which is to be the power of God unto salvation to everyone that shall obey and fulfill its requirements, the opportunities presented in our gathering together upon these occasions, in marking the way of our advancement by comparison with others, actuated by like hope, established in like determination, and pressing forward to the accomplishment of the same purposes, renew within us that determination, and increase the spirit and feeling to do and be indeed the children of the Father who sent us here. There is but little doubt that there are many people who, standing in our organization as members of the Church of Christ, are not fully converted to our principles; there are quite a number, as all of us know who are conversant with the actual conditions that exist among the people everywhere, who are in that frame of mind that they have accepted of the faith, because their parents accepted it. There are some who have been impressed with the idea that the doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints conform to the doctrines of the Scripture, and conforming to them, they accepted of them upon this basis, without the particular effort, or necessary effort to 'secure for themselves the witness of the spirit of that Gospel. They rejoice in the evidences that are manifest upon some occasions in discussions or debates wherein the Scriptures are utilized as an argument in connection with our fellow men to the destruction and overthrow of views that they may have entertained; but there are those who receive from the divine source the witness of that spirit which brings conviction to every fibre of the human being; that writes upon the heart; that fixes itself upon the brain; that establishes itself in such a form that no matter what the circumstances or conditions are in life it is written there not to be effaced; and no matter where the individuals might be, or what the circumstances were, their witness for the truth would be given in humility relying upon the mercies and goodness of their Heavenly Father.
We are acquitting ourselves as a people very nobly in the efforts that we are making in scattering the seeds of the Gospel among the nations of the earth. Our brothers, our fathers, our sons, are performing their duties in this respect with heroic courage and fortitude; but when we look into the internal concerns of our country and state and see the needs and necessities of hosts of our young men especially (when I use the word hosts, I use it in the sense that there are many) who are moral, upright, earnest, and devoted, so far as that is concerned to the regular duties and responsibilities of life, but whose minds have not been touched with the sacred fire, whose hearts have gone out in the various directions in the accomplishment of their walks in life, so far as the temporal duties of life are concerned, and who have been led to think perchance father and mother, carried away in their enthusiasm for the faith that they have espoused, are not altogether in that condition or frame of mind that would impress them with that which seems so dear to father and mother, we realize that every effort made in the direction of the improvement and establishment in their minds of a proper understanding of the Gospel is a duty we owe to them. I realize that in our anxiety sometimes as parents in these matters, the constant following of our sons, the constant effort to impress them with the same religious fire that has been aroused in our breasts, may in some instances be overdone, as remarked to me upon one occasion by an eminent man in our nation who classes himself as an infidel. "I became infidel," he remarked, "to the faith of my fathers for the reason of the strict anxiety upon the part gf father and mother to impress me with their faith." While this should not be an excuse on the part of men for disregarding the wishes of moral fathers and mothers, who sought to impress upon the minds of their children the sacred obligation they owed to their Father in heaven, there may be in some few instances cause for complaint on the part of thoughtless boys and thoughtless girls in connection with this matter. It seems to me that the proper application of our home government, the seeking to secure the aid and assistance of the boys and the girls in the discharge of the duties of that home, in their taking part in family prayer, in their assisting in the saying of grace at the table, in their being kindly and gently pled with, in striving to awaken in their minds that sacred reverence or love for the Supreme Being, would bridge most of the chasms that are found in the way of the development of legitimate and proper faith in the minds of some of the thoughtless ones.
I am a believer in the thought that the sons and daughters of the Latter-day Saints are not recreant to their faith, or to the faith of their fathers. I recognize the fact in my own experience, as I note the conditions that arise in many lives, that while there is a thoughtless period that attends every boy and every girl, when they pass a certain stage in their history, their hearts turn to their home and to the influences of that home, and to the efforts that were made to impress them in that home with a sacred regard for the name of their Heavenly Father, and for the sacred laws that He has given. And inasmuch as we fulfill the requirements placed upon us to teach our sons and daughters the principles of that Gospel, that power of God unto salvation; have sought to establish within them honesty; have sought to fix upon their minds that justice and mercy and propriety and wisdom should govern them as the seeds are sown; as their minds are guarded; as their hearts are cultivated; as 'they are uplifted in their being by the uprightness and consistency and prudence of the examples of their fathers and mothers, one by one they will find themselves taking their place in the ranks of that religion that God has called to aid in carrying forth the truths of the Gospel which He has given to us in our day.
I desire, my brethren and sisters that you will consider these matters; that there shall be adopted in the regulations of every home that wisdom and prudence that should characterize the Bishop of a ward, the Teachers of blocks, the High Priests, Seventies and Elders, and all that class of men who have been made partakers of the heavenly gift, that the spirit of truth, striking our own souls and vibrating therein, shall make its way among the children of men; that all who may enter our home circle or our neighborhood circle, shall feel and see that our hearts are in attune to the principles of right, mercy, and justice and the principles of propriety in everything that tends to turn and make man and woman more noble and true.
In connection with my brethren, I desire to bear my testimony to the truth of the Gospel, and the sacredness of that mission given of God in the introduction of this work, and to the uprightness and honesty and determination that exist on the part of those you have sustained as guides in connection with this work, and to the spirit of love engendered in their breasts for the work of God and the extension of the principles of the Gospel on the lines of justice and right so far as it is possible for man with his weaknesses to walk in harmony with the wishes of our Father in heaven. I bear you my witness that this is indeed the Gospel of Christ; that it will be indeed a power of God unto salvation to every man and every woman that shall adopt its rules and walk in the way marked out by the revealed will of our Father in the day and age in which we live. That God may bless you all, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.
ELDER F. M. LYMAN.
Organization of the Church in harmony with the will of God—Man is that he might be saved—Favorable time for the Saints— Man's obligations to his Maker first—Young people should marry— Time should be economized for righteousness.
It affords me much pleasure, my brethren and sisters, to meet with you on this important occasion—the day on Which is to be consummated the beginning of a new administration in the Church under President Lorenzo Snow and his brethren. This great body of people gathered from all directions give evidence that the work of the Lord is still alive in the earth; that this Church is growing, gaining strength and power spreading abroad in the earth, accomplishing the design of our Heavenly Father. Our children and those who are brought into the Church from abroad add strength to this great work, and the Lord will fulfill His purposes. His favor and blessing are over the people, and they are being established; the stakes of Zion are increasing, the wards, the quorums, the associations and the missions are increasing in the earth, and we are the witnesses that the gifts and graces of the Gospel attend upon the ministry of the Lord's servants. The will of the Lord is made known to the people, and they are not long left in doubt, or to wonder or surmise; for we have attained that degree of humility, union and faith that insures to all Israel the mind of the Lord in regard to His purposes. It is manifest in our present experience how readily all Israel has discovered and learned from the Lord His mind in regard to the Presidency of the Church, and the steps that are necessary to be taken in order that the organization of the Church may be complete and perfect; for as long as the Church is under the necessity of moving without the chief presiding quorum —the three High Priests designated by the Father and sustained by the people— the organization is not complete.; and in order that the Church may have all the blessings ,the gifts and graces, the inspiration and favor of God, it is quite desirable that every department of this Church should be in complete organization. I say that in this movement that we have witnessed, and that we witness today, is an evidence that the Church is advancing, that the people are becoming schooled and better tried and proven in the doctrines and discipline of the Church. The Lord has spoken to His Prophets and' Apostles, and has announced His will; and today the world shall see that Israel is a united people, that they see eye to eye, and in your hearts, my brethren and sisters, as well as in ours, shall be the evidence, positive and unquestionable, that the mind and will of God has been spoken from the heavens. Let every Latter-day Saint in his and her own heart ask the Father that he or she may really feel and know, by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, that the organization of this Church Is in harmony with the mind and will of the Father; and those who thus seek the will of God shall know it in their hearts and souls.
The work is advancing; it is growing apace and spreading quietly in the earth; the Gospel is being preached; the people gathered and established; the resources and facilities of Zion are developing on every hand, and we are becoming a very remarkable people. The Lord will magnify and sustain His people; He will correct them, reprove them, restrain them, and inspire them. He will inspire every man who bears responsibility in this Church. Every man presiding in missions abroad every man laboring abroad 'and lifting his voice to the world, calling upon all men to repent and- turn unto the Lord, will be sustained by the power of God; and those who preside at home, in the organizations of Priesthood, in the stakes, in the wards, in the associations and organizations of our brethren and sisters, will all be blessed and sustained. We will learn valuable lessons at times, no doubt, by the things we suffer, 'and sometimes possibly by the mistakes we make. But the Lord knows our hearts, our conduct, and our thoughts, and He will purge us and prove us, and will save us to the uttermost, if we will but be saved. It is the design of the Father that all His children should be saved. Men were not created to be damned; but they were created to be saved. Men have come to the earth and obtained their bodies that they might be saved, that they may be enlarged and developed, and that they may walk in the footsteps of our Elder Brother, Jesus, to salvation. In Him we should discover the very example of purity, of humility and of obedience to God that should be followed by each of us. It will be necessary, if we would be the heirs of God and joint heirs with the Son, that as He had but the will of God, so must we also have the will of God. Our wills must be subject to the will of the Father; that What the Father wills in regard to us, we should will—it should be our will; for He only wills good to us, life, prosperity, peace and salvation, in time and in eternity. We can well afford to exchange our wills for the will of God—or, rather, that our wills should be as the will of God; that we should adopt the will of God as our will. "Not my will, Father, but thine be done." For the will of God is superior to our will. He knows what will be good for us; He knows what is good for us. He knows what will preserve us and will save us from the power of Satan, from the grasp of that personage who would drag us down into the same condition that he is in. The Lord knows exactly what is best for us; and what our Elder Brother has accomplished and attained to—we also are the sons of God, the junior brethren and the sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ, and He assigns that we should come up as He came up, and accomplish what He has accomplished, and be worthy of the favor and blessing of our Heavenly Father in time and in eternity, and this can only be obtained by serving the Lord, as He serves our Heavenly Father.
Then, my brethren and sisters, it is very important that we should learn to live unitedly, to be humble, to be faithful in the discharge of the duties that devolve upon us, and to fulfill the requirements of our Heavenly Father. Now we are entering upon times and conditions that are to be favorable to the Church, and favorable to everybody else. Good times are coming upon the people—prosperous times. As we ha.ve been so abundantly blessed this year, so may we be blessed the coming year, and ISO on for the future. And when the blessings of the Lord are so abundantly bestowed upon us, we ought to make good use of them. We ought to listen to the counsel of wisdom, and to profit by our past experience, to refrain from contracting obligations that we are unable to meet. The Latter-day Saints should begin now, if they have not already, to meet all their obligations. I believe with the favorable conditions that are opening up to us and to the people of the world, that we ought to learn to meet our obligations; free ourselves from mortgages entirely. The Lord will open the way if we will make good use of the blessings that He has bestowed upon us, that we may meet all our obligations.. But remember the Lord first! I am frequently approached by brethren to know what they shall do. "If I pay my tithing, I have other obligations and embarrassments that weigh me down. Shall I, under these circumstances, pay my obligations to the Lord?" I say. Yes. First of all a man should meet his obligations to his Maker. He who has furnished us the earth upon which we live, and all the wealth thereof. We ought to remember our obligations to Him; for we are in this work for eternal salvation and exaltation, eternal life, and to become the heirs of God, through our faithfulness, that whatever of wealth the Lord possesses we shall be His heirs, and joint heirs with the Son, Who has received from the Father all things and all power in heaven and on earth. If we would be sharers in this, we must remember first our obligations to the Lord; for they are older than the obligations to any man. Pay the obligations in the order of their seniority —as they are due. First meet all our obligations to the Lord properly, and then tell the Father that we want to be conscientious and honest with everybody else—with our brothers and our sisters as we are with Him, Now is the time that we manifest our faith in the Lord, and prove Him; and I want to bear record that no man has ever failed to find the promises of the Lord reliable. No man has ever paid his tithing properly but what has been abundantly blessed. I want to say, too, that no man has ever paid his just obligation to his brother but what he has been abundantly blessed. There is a compensation that always comes in answer to the performance of every right and proper duty between man and his Maker, between man and his brother; for I say that a man will not be honest with his Maker if he be not honest with his brother. Be honest with the Lord and then honest with the brethren. Be honest with the world, and conscientious with them in all our obligations and covenants; for they are our brethren—unbaptized, so far as that is concerned, but they are our brethren, the sons and the daughters of God, and our conduct, our dealings, contracts and business obligations with them should be most conscientious, honest and upright. If so, then they will see that we are conscientious and honest in our dealings with our father in heaven. They will have confidence in us, and will believe our professions. Then, I say, brethren and sisters, remember the Lord in these times. Let us go forward and discharge the duties that devolve upon us. It is a splendid time now to pay our debts.
It is a splendid time now, also, for the young people to enter into marriage. Young men and young women who are twenty years of age and upwards should see to it. Parents should advise and counsel 'with them, that they should enter into marriage. The Latter-day Saints are a people that believe in the principle of marriage. They believe it is one of the most sacred commandments and requirements of the Lord that men and women should marry, and should multiply 'and replenish the earth, and fill it with the son's and daughters of God, training and leading them in the ways of righteousness by their example and by their instructions. Let me exhort you, my brethren and sisters. Bishops, Presidents, leading men, mothers in Israel see to it that your sons and daughters and those under your care are thoroughly taught in regard to this principle. We are not a people with one idea only; not alone the Word of Wisdom, not alone the law of tithing; but the law of marriage, the law of honesty, of virtue, of charity and of uprightness among the people and between each other. We believe in all these doctrines, and we believe that if a man would be saved and exalted in the celestial kingdom 'of God he must do all that it is possible for man to do. All the requirements of the Lord must be accomplished if we would attain to all that is to be obtained in the celestial kingdom of our Father. And every Latter-day Saint has started out for that—the obtaining of eternal life, and the greatest degree of glory that can be obtained in the celestial kingdom. Then to obtain this I say that the full and perfect law of the Father must be observed. We are to be rewarded for our works. We must earn what we obtain. We have our sins upon us and we cannot atone for them ourselves; they have been atoned for by the Son of God. But we must repent of them, which we can do. Every man can repent who will; for the spirit of repentance, a gift of God, waits upon the children of men, as does the light of day, as does air, heat and cold, and all these conditions that attend closely upon the movements of mankind. So does the spirit of faith, of humility, of righteousness and virtue always attend upon the people. These two spirits are anxious that we should entertain them. Why will we not? It is according to the will of man that he turns against the truth and closes his heart against it. The truth may be here abundantly on every hand, and we can close our hearts against it. Let us not do this, my brethren and sisters. It is only a little season that we live here. This probation of ours is very brief. I discover this when I and that in a little time I shall be an old man, ready to pass away; and my brethren the same. Now I have passed half a hundred, and when men get to that age they become old men, and utter that their race to the end is very rapid; they get old in a very short time; years and periods become brief. Now we want to be prepared, and remember that it is only a little span. Ninety years, such as President Woodruff lived; will be looked upon, when he passes beyond and looks back over his career of the past in mortality, as just a brief, brief span. It would seem as though we could almost hold our breath that long, to get over without doing anything that is wrong. Let us shun evil. Let us seek to know the mind and will of the Lord, obtain the Holy Ghost and enjoy it all the day long, and the Lord will lead us gently home. Oh! what joy and happiness there is when we are serving God with full purpose of heart all the time, when sin ceases to afflict us, when temptations and trials are kept far from us. The path is straight, it is narrow, but it is easy and most pleasant. Let us try and walk it, and be faithful in the discharge of every duty.
I want to testify to you in regard to this work. It is the work of our Father who dwells in heaven. It is the work established by Him, and not by man. When I hear the brethren say, as was testified to here by Brother John Henry Smith, that the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation, I say to myself, why the Christian world acknowledge that. But the question in the Christian world is where is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that is the power of God unto salvation? I would testify to all this great assembly here—brothers, sisters, friends, strangers—that the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ which is the power of God unto salvation was restored in its ancient power and purity through the Prophet Joseph Smith. We possess it today. We have the Priesthood of God, which is His authority and power. It is in the earth, and with all our imperfections, weaknesses and follies, yet hath the Lord maintained us, and He will do if we are fairly faithful. The more faithful we are the more will we witness the power of God and the more readily will everything be accomplished that comes along which needs the attention, of the Lord and of His servants; the more readily and perfectly will every gap be filled, and you will find the Church of God will move so regularly and smoothly along that there will never be a ripple. We may have a rough read to travel over, as we have had in the past; we may have difficulties and trials, and the world may be measurably arrayed against us, and try to destroy us or do us harm, feeling all the time, no doubt, in their hearts that they are doing the greatest possible good and are anxious for our salvation; but I want to say to you that our Father who dwells in heaven—that Father whom Jesus taught His disciples to pray to, "Our Father, which art in heaven"—that same great Parent overlooks these affairs, and is guiding and controlling the destinies of this people, as He is the destinies of all other people; and with this people abides today that Gospel which is the power of God unto salvation, and it will endure and accomplish what the Lord has designed it shall accomplish—the salvation of the children of men, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Organization of the Church in harmony with the will of God—Man is that he might be saved—Favorable time for the Saints— Man's obligations to his Maker first—Young people should marry— Time should be economized for righteousness.
It affords me much pleasure, my brethren and sisters, to meet with you on this important occasion—the day on Which is to be consummated the beginning of a new administration in the Church under President Lorenzo Snow and his brethren. This great body of people gathered from all directions give evidence that the work of the Lord is still alive in the earth; that this Church is growing, gaining strength and power spreading abroad in the earth, accomplishing the design of our Heavenly Father. Our children and those who are brought into the Church from abroad add strength to this great work, and the Lord will fulfill His purposes. His favor and blessing are over the people, and they are being established; the stakes of Zion are increasing, the wards, the quorums, the associations and the missions are increasing in the earth, and we are the witnesses that the gifts and graces of the Gospel attend upon the ministry of the Lord's servants. The will of the Lord is made known to the people, and they are not long left in doubt, or to wonder or surmise; for we have attained that degree of humility, union and faith that insures to all Israel the mind of the Lord in regard to His purposes. It is manifest in our present experience how readily all Israel has discovered and learned from the Lord His mind in regard to the Presidency of the Church, and the steps that are necessary to be taken in order that the organization of the Church may be complete and perfect; for as long as the Church is under the necessity of moving without the chief presiding quorum —the three High Priests designated by the Father and sustained by the people— the organization is not complete.; and in order that the Church may have all the blessings ,the gifts and graces, the inspiration and favor of God, it is quite desirable that every department of this Church should be in complete organization. I say that in this movement that we have witnessed, and that we witness today, is an evidence that the Church is advancing, that the people are becoming schooled and better tried and proven in the doctrines and discipline of the Church. The Lord has spoken to His Prophets and' Apostles, and has announced His will; and today the world shall see that Israel is a united people, that they see eye to eye, and in your hearts, my brethren and sisters, as well as in ours, shall be the evidence, positive and unquestionable, that the mind and will of God has been spoken from the heavens. Let every Latter-day Saint in his and her own heart ask the Father that he or she may really feel and know, by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, that the organization of this Church Is in harmony with the mind and will of the Father; and those who thus seek the will of God shall know it in their hearts and souls.
The work is advancing; it is growing apace and spreading quietly in the earth; the Gospel is being preached; the people gathered and established; the resources and facilities of Zion are developing on every hand, and we are becoming a very remarkable people. The Lord will magnify and sustain His people; He will correct them, reprove them, restrain them, and inspire them. He will inspire every man who bears responsibility in this Church. Every man presiding in missions abroad every man laboring abroad 'and lifting his voice to the world, calling upon all men to repent and- turn unto the Lord, will be sustained by the power of God; and those who preside at home, in the organizations of Priesthood, in the stakes, in the wards, in the associations and organizations of our brethren and sisters, will all be blessed and sustained. We will learn valuable lessons at times, no doubt, by the things we suffer, 'and sometimes possibly by the mistakes we make. But the Lord knows our hearts, our conduct, and our thoughts, and He will purge us and prove us, and will save us to the uttermost, if we will but be saved. It is the design of the Father that all His children should be saved. Men were not created to be damned; but they were created to be saved. Men have come to the earth and obtained their bodies that they might be saved, that they may be enlarged and developed, and that they may walk in the footsteps of our Elder Brother, Jesus, to salvation. In Him we should discover the very example of purity, of humility and of obedience to God that should be followed by each of us. It will be necessary, if we would be the heirs of God and joint heirs with the Son, that as He had but the will of God, so must we also have the will of God. Our wills must be subject to the will of the Father; that What the Father wills in regard to us, we should will—it should be our will; for He only wills good to us, life, prosperity, peace and salvation, in time and in eternity. We can well afford to exchange our wills for the will of God—or, rather, that our wills should be as the will of God; that we should adopt the will of God as our will. "Not my will, Father, but thine be done." For the will of God is superior to our will. He knows what will be good for us; He knows what is good for us. He knows what will preserve us and will save us from the power of Satan, from the grasp of that personage who would drag us down into the same condition that he is in. The Lord knows exactly what is best for us; and what our Elder Brother has accomplished and attained to—we also are the sons of God, the junior brethren and the sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ, and He assigns that we should come up as He came up, and accomplish what He has accomplished, and be worthy of the favor and blessing of our Heavenly Father in time and in eternity, and this can only be obtained by serving the Lord, as He serves our Heavenly Father.
Then, my brethren and sisters, it is very important that we should learn to live unitedly, to be humble, to be faithful in the discharge of the duties that devolve upon us, and to fulfill the requirements of our Heavenly Father. Now we are entering upon times and conditions that are to be favorable to the Church, and favorable to everybody else. Good times are coming upon the people—prosperous times. As we ha.ve been so abundantly blessed this year, so may we be blessed the coming year, and ISO on for the future. And when the blessings of the Lord are so abundantly bestowed upon us, we ought to make good use of them. We ought to listen to the counsel of wisdom, and to profit by our past experience, to refrain from contracting obligations that we are unable to meet. The Latter-day Saints should begin now, if they have not already, to meet all their obligations. I believe with the favorable conditions that are opening up to us and to the people of the world, that we ought to learn to meet our obligations; free ourselves from mortgages entirely. The Lord will open the way if we will make good use of the blessings that He has bestowed upon us, that we may meet all our obligations.. But remember the Lord first! I am frequently approached by brethren to know what they shall do. "If I pay my tithing, I have other obligations and embarrassments that weigh me down. Shall I, under these circumstances, pay my obligations to the Lord?" I say. Yes. First of all a man should meet his obligations to his Maker. He who has furnished us the earth upon which we live, and all the wealth thereof. We ought to remember our obligations to Him; for we are in this work for eternal salvation and exaltation, eternal life, and to become the heirs of God, through our faithfulness, that whatever of wealth the Lord possesses we shall be His heirs, and joint heirs with the Son, Who has received from the Father all things and all power in heaven and on earth. If we would be sharers in this, we must remember first our obligations to the Lord; for they are older than the obligations to any man. Pay the obligations in the order of their seniority —as they are due. First meet all our obligations to the Lord properly, and then tell the Father that we want to be conscientious and honest with everybody else—with our brothers and our sisters as we are with Him, Now is the time that we manifest our faith in the Lord, and prove Him; and I want to bear record that no man has ever failed to find the promises of the Lord reliable. No man has ever paid his tithing properly but what has been abundantly blessed. I want to say, too, that no man has ever paid his just obligation to his brother but what he has been abundantly blessed. There is a compensation that always comes in answer to the performance of every right and proper duty between man and his Maker, between man and his brother; for I say that a man will not be honest with his Maker if he be not honest with his brother. Be honest with the Lord and then honest with the brethren. Be honest with the world, and conscientious with them in all our obligations and covenants; for they are our brethren—unbaptized, so far as that is concerned, but they are our brethren, the sons and the daughters of God, and our conduct, our dealings, contracts and business obligations with them should be most conscientious, honest and upright. If so, then they will see that we are conscientious and honest in our dealings with our father in heaven. They will have confidence in us, and will believe our professions. Then, I say, brethren and sisters, remember the Lord in these times. Let us go forward and discharge the duties that devolve upon us. It is a splendid time now to pay our debts.
It is a splendid time now, also, for the young people to enter into marriage. Young men and young women who are twenty years of age and upwards should see to it. Parents should advise and counsel 'with them, that they should enter into marriage. The Latter-day Saints are a people that believe in the principle of marriage. They believe it is one of the most sacred commandments and requirements of the Lord that men and women should marry, and should multiply 'and replenish the earth, and fill it with the son's and daughters of God, training and leading them in the ways of righteousness by their example and by their instructions. Let me exhort you, my brethren and sisters. Bishops, Presidents, leading men, mothers in Israel see to it that your sons and daughters and those under your care are thoroughly taught in regard to this principle. We are not a people with one idea only; not alone the Word of Wisdom, not alone the law of tithing; but the law of marriage, the law of honesty, of virtue, of charity and of uprightness among the people and between each other. We believe in all these doctrines, and we believe that if a man would be saved and exalted in the celestial kingdom 'of God he must do all that it is possible for man to do. All the requirements of the Lord must be accomplished if we would attain to all that is to be obtained in the celestial kingdom of our Father. And every Latter-day Saint has started out for that—the obtaining of eternal life, and the greatest degree of glory that can be obtained in the celestial kingdom. Then to obtain this I say that the full and perfect law of the Father must be observed. We are to be rewarded for our works. We must earn what we obtain. We have our sins upon us and we cannot atone for them ourselves; they have been atoned for by the Son of God. But we must repent of them, which we can do. Every man can repent who will; for the spirit of repentance, a gift of God, waits upon the children of men, as does the light of day, as does air, heat and cold, and all these conditions that attend closely upon the movements of mankind. So does the spirit of faith, of humility, of righteousness and virtue always attend upon the people. These two spirits are anxious that we should entertain them. Why will we not? It is according to the will of man that he turns against the truth and closes his heart against it. The truth may be here abundantly on every hand, and we can close our hearts against it. Let us not do this, my brethren and sisters. It is only a little season that we live here. This probation of ours is very brief. I discover this when I and that in a little time I shall be an old man, ready to pass away; and my brethren the same. Now I have passed half a hundred, and when men get to that age they become old men, and utter that their race to the end is very rapid; they get old in a very short time; years and periods become brief. Now we want to be prepared, and remember that it is only a little span. Ninety years, such as President Woodruff lived; will be looked upon, when he passes beyond and looks back over his career of the past in mortality, as just a brief, brief span. It would seem as though we could almost hold our breath that long, to get over without doing anything that is wrong. Let us shun evil. Let us seek to know the mind and will of the Lord, obtain the Holy Ghost and enjoy it all the day long, and the Lord will lead us gently home. Oh! what joy and happiness there is when we are serving God with full purpose of heart all the time, when sin ceases to afflict us, when temptations and trials are kept far from us. The path is straight, it is narrow, but it is easy and most pleasant. Let us try and walk it, and be faithful in the discharge of every duty.
I want to testify to you in regard to this work. It is the work of our Father who dwells in heaven. It is the work established by Him, and not by man. When I hear the brethren say, as was testified to here by Brother John Henry Smith, that the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation, I say to myself, why the Christian world acknowledge that. But the question in the Christian world is where is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that is the power of God unto salvation? I would testify to all this great assembly here—brothers, sisters, friends, strangers—that the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ which is the power of God unto salvation was restored in its ancient power and purity through the Prophet Joseph Smith. We possess it today. We have the Priesthood of God, which is His authority and power. It is in the earth, and with all our imperfections, weaknesses and follies, yet hath the Lord maintained us, and He will do if we are fairly faithful. The more faithful we are the more will we witness the power of God and the more readily will everything be accomplished that comes along which needs the attention, of the Lord and of His servants; the more readily and perfectly will every gap be filled, and you will find the Church of God will move so regularly and smoothly along that there will never be a ripple. We may have a rough read to travel over, as we have had in the past; we may have difficulties and trials, and the world may be measurably arrayed against us, and try to destroy us or do us harm, feeling all the time, no doubt, in their hearts that they are doing the greatest possible good and are anxious for our salvation; but I want to say to you that our Father who dwells in heaven—that Father whom Jesus taught His disciples to pray to, "Our Father, which art in heaven"—that same great Parent overlooks these affairs, and is guiding and controlling the destinies of this people, as He is the destinies of all other people; and with this people abides today that Gospel which is the power of God unto salvation, and it will endure and accomplish what the Lord has designed it shall accomplish—the salvation of the children of men, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
ELDER BRIGHAM YOUNG.
Instructions should embrace temporal as well as spiritual subjects—Some duties of officers of the Church and of parents—Avoid evil speaking and contention—Periodicity of times of plenty and scarcity.
Husband the products of the earth.I would like your attention, my brethren and sisters, for the few moments that I may stand before you, for I believe it is difficult to make all of this vast congregation hear the words of the speaker. Some very good things have been said in testimony and otherwise which have been lost to a portion of the congregation; but I believe if we were quiet throughout this building that it would not be very difficult to hear an ordinary voice in every part of it.
I have rejoiced exceedingly during the meetings that have been held here and have listened with attention to the remarks of my brethren. Great things have been said; great ideas have been advanced; great principles have been dwelt upon, for our brethren have spoken of those things that pertain to eternal life. I have felt to say in my heart: if we have not the Gospel, the Lord have mercy upon us, for our fellow- men will not have mercy, the world will not have mercy upon this people; but if, as we testify, we have the Gospel of the Son of God, who can prevail against us? Not the world, nor the adversary of our souls, if we live in harmony with the revelations of God that He has given unto us. I know that we have the Gospel of the Son of God. I do not know that I will be saved in His celestial kingdom, but I know that He has revealed to me all that is necessary, in the past and the present, and will reveal unto me, personally, and by the instructions of my brethren, all that is necessary to guide me in the future, that I may return back into His presence. I know this to be so; that it is the truth; and my desire for you is like the desire I have for myself, to again meet with you in the presence of our common Father in His celestial kingdom.
If people expect that we, who are here in these stands, are to confine ourselves to the spiritual necessities of the kingdom of God, they are somewhat mistaken. We have to deal with that which is before us, the everyday life which we live in the localities where our homes and interests are situated. We can come here and feel well for a short time, but if we lay aside the spirit we obtain at these conferences, and which we will find in our meetings at home if we attend them—if we lay that spirit aside, the course of life will seem too strong for us. I never saw a time in my life, in my experience, when it was more necessary to be humble in prayer, in public, in private, and in family worship than at the present time. I never saw a time in the history of this Church, so far as my knowledge extends, when we were more tempted to omit these commandments of the Lord; something intervenes, something prevents the husband and the wife from gathering their families, their children, in their household and observing this duty. O, I haven't time to pray this morning. The temptation is great to omit it. I testify unto this congregation that if you will go to your homies throughout the length and breadth of the land and will humbly seek your Father in prayer and in supplication, in private and in public, as your duty may call and the spirit direct, that you will grow and increase and life will become a ten-fold pleasure to you. I testify to you that you will create a sentiment and a feeling in the hearts of your sons and daughters that you will marvel at, and rejoice to see the reformation that will take place in all the households of the Latter-day Saints who observe this simple duty. Try it. Let every man and every woman go from this Conference with a determination to observe these requirements which God has made of them. We go into the Stakes and visit the people a great deal, and we find much that needs talking about. In some Stakes that I have visited in the past—I will say in the last year — I find occasionally that the President of the Stake has lost his grip to some extent, lost his influence, and that there are opposing forces arrayed against him among his brethren and sisters-— that tie his hands, to a great extent. Why these people have a power. One of the brethren said that when he faced the people before him, who are in the image of our God and our Savior, it made him tremble. These people have a force and a power. If you are not in sympathy with me when I stand here to teach you, then I have no influence. You have this power in your wards, in your societies and in your associations.
In visiting some of the wards I have had the pleasure of visiting the Relief Societies, and I asked one person in relation to the visits of the Bishop to their meetings, "Why," the president said to me, "the Bishop never visits us; he never attends our meetings." Here is a neglect on the part of the Bishop in something that is very essential, and they should repent of this, and every meeting that is held, every interest of that ward, should be his especial care, and make it his duty to supervise it as far as need be, and be in perfect harmony with them and have them in perfect harmony with him in all their labors. I go again to the Sabbath school, and on one occasion I said to the presiding officer: "Who are those little boys on those back benches?" "Why," he said to me in a whisper, "those are our hoodlums. We work with them as best we can. You see that brother is a mild tempered man. He sits right there by those little fellows trying to keep them in order; and we use every effort and all the persuasion that we are capable of to get them to observe order, but I tell you. Brother Young, with all they get from here, their parents are indifferent as to what their children do. Parents neglect their children and they run hither and thither all the week long and when they come into the Sabbath school it is almost useless to try to keep them quiet and orderly for the little fellows have been neglected and disorderly the whole week." Fathers and mothers do not second the efforts of these excellent, disinterested teachers who go Sabbath after Sabbath to their Sunday schools, and seek to inform their children's minds that they may grow up useful men and women in the Church of Christ. There is a neglect in this department throughout the length and breadth of the land. Will the people of this Conference go from here and take up these subjects and say in their hearts: With the help of God we will aid the Sabbath schools, for they cannot do it all? The president of a Stake cannot do everything; the Bishop cannot do everything; but we are all neglectful in some things, and here are evils that must be corrected.
I find in some localities that there is a disregard of the principle of tithing as well. Who is forced to pay tithing? Nobody; the principle upon which some of the brethren work with whom I am acquainted is, they say in their hearts, and they have said it to me: "I want to bind the Lord. He has promised; I want to fulfill my part of that promise that it may be verified to me." They are punctual and they strive to discharge that obligation. If we do it not, we have no promise, but we have a promise if we fulfill it, and though we may do it imperfectly but with a good and honest heart and if we are striving to do our duty in this respect, God is bound to fulfill His part. He always does it, as was testified of here by the brethren who have spoken this morning. God always fulfills His part. Now, brethren, try it. If you come here and listen to the words of inspiration from our Presidency, from our brethren, the leading men, they fall upon stony ground if you do not heed them. You must not do this. Go from here with the determination that with the help of God you will fulfill your obligations.
There is another thing that I find a great evil among some of the people, and that is moral cowardice. A brother offends, and they have not the moral courage to go to him and say: "You have offended me; let us' make it right, brother, so that we can live in harmony." Brethren and sisters, make up your minds to take the Doctrine and Covenants and study what God says upon this subject; when you go to your homes, read it; and with the help of God keep enmity and jealousy out of your hearts. God has commanded ill and He demands it at our hands— that we have no such feelings. He demands it this day, because they are evils in our midst. Let me have the moral courage, and instead of saying as I have heard men. say: "I will get even with him," let me go to the man if I have got anything to say to him and say it in as mild a spirit as I can command under the inspiration of the Spirit, of God, and say to him: "Let us heal these differences." That brings peace, that brings love and joy, and the love; of God will increase in the midst of the people.
We are too apt to make a man an offender for a word. If God was to make you and I am offender for a word, we never would rise above the existence we have here; we never could see anything better than we have here; but He would have you to never sit in judgment upon your fellowmen. Let God judge, whose right it is to judge. Who knows what his providences are? If I am injured, or tempted, or should have to meet sorrow or sickness or death, if I have lived according to the light that He has given me, am I not safe in every particular? O, yes. God will overrule; but don't let me sit in judgment upon my fellow man; let God judge; and let me say in my heart, However constrained my circumstances may be, I acknowledge the hand of God in everything.
Now, beware of the leaven of the Gentiles, I suppose this is too plain talk for this time of year, under the circumstances. What do I mean by it? I mean by that that you have received a knowledge of the Holy One, and the leaven of the Gentiles is to leaven that knowledge that you have received from God Himself until it is entirely obscured.
Now, there is a great harvest; the earth groans with her harvest. Looking backward need I cite you to the past few year's experience that we have had, need I say to you that the day was when your cattle was worth nothing? The man that owned the most cattle was among the poorest in Zion. Today we are beginning to talk of cattle kings. There was no demand for them; no demand for grain today; but a little while ago, there was no demand for property in Salt Lake and throughout the State. Bye and bye, men were aroused and went in a sense crazy. These men are not all dead, and they are liable to go crazy again. Plenty will follow a dearth, and dearth will follow plenty. We are thriving in every particular, in every manner, in wealth, material wealth that is useful, that builds us up, that feeds and clothes us, that gives us homes and habitations, beautiful orchards, gardens, farms— all that we desire. We are wonderfully blessed in material wealth here. Brethren do you not suppose that there will come a time when these, all these things will be changed? Why I know that such action will come. I do not know when, but mark it, whenever there Is a flush, It seems to me that the opposite follows. It is so in the rains that fall upon the earth; when we have deep snows in the mountains and plenty of water here, in a little time this plentiful supply is followed by a drought. It seems to me that it comes in streaks.
Well, now, this is so in our lives. God will temper these things to the good of His people. When the earth yields in abundance is the time to take care of it. When you have plenty of grain, plenty of wealth and the abundance of the earth is given to you, I say to you' go from this Conference and take care of it. Brother George Goddard said yesterday a thing that was written upon my mind and has been ever since I saw the fields north and south: Seeing the enormous quantity of the products of the earth, I felt in my heart that a scarcity may follow this plenty. I do pray that the Saints, above all men, will take care of the bounties that the Lord has given them.
There is a great deal that comes to my mind in relation to this matter, but I haven't time to talk about it, and I do not think it would be profitable to do it here, but I can touch upon the points that I had in my mind and that come to me standing here, for the Latter- day Saints to be mindful of.
One of the great things for us to do is to be mindful of our children, our sons and daughters. Now some of you who live in the country permit your daughters to come to this city to get work. They come here to work for a livelihood, to get themselves clothing and to help their families, and for other reasons. Our girls want to appear as well as anybody. They are certainly as good looking as any other class of young ladies I have met in my travels on the earth, and they want to show their good looks and be a little fashionable. We cannot help that; I do not know that they can. But there is a great difference between this and permitting them to be surrounded by circumstances through which they might be led astray. If it is necessary for them to go out to work, try to see that they get a situation where they at least will be respected, and return to you as they left you, with their virtue not destroyed, but willing to come into the family circle, and the family circle willing to receive them.
I rejoice with you. God bless you, and let us one and all go from this Conference with the determination that we will live as God would have us live, that we may attain unto the great blessing of eternal life.
May God be with us in our homes and in our habitations throughout the length and breadth of the land, and strengthen us in the cause of truth, for I believe in my heart that the Latter-day Saints are the only people that are striving intelligently to be saved in the celestial kingdom of our God. Amen.
The Huntington choir sang the anthem : The song of the Redeemer.
Benediction by Elder B. H. Roberts.
Instructions should embrace temporal as well as spiritual subjects—Some duties of officers of the Church and of parents—Avoid evil speaking and contention—Periodicity of times of plenty and scarcity.
Husband the products of the earth.I would like your attention, my brethren and sisters, for the few moments that I may stand before you, for I believe it is difficult to make all of this vast congregation hear the words of the speaker. Some very good things have been said in testimony and otherwise which have been lost to a portion of the congregation; but I believe if we were quiet throughout this building that it would not be very difficult to hear an ordinary voice in every part of it.
I have rejoiced exceedingly during the meetings that have been held here and have listened with attention to the remarks of my brethren. Great things have been said; great ideas have been advanced; great principles have been dwelt upon, for our brethren have spoken of those things that pertain to eternal life. I have felt to say in my heart: if we have not the Gospel, the Lord have mercy upon us, for our fellow- men will not have mercy, the world will not have mercy upon this people; but if, as we testify, we have the Gospel of the Son of God, who can prevail against us? Not the world, nor the adversary of our souls, if we live in harmony with the revelations of God that He has given unto us. I know that we have the Gospel of the Son of God. I do not know that I will be saved in His celestial kingdom, but I know that He has revealed to me all that is necessary, in the past and the present, and will reveal unto me, personally, and by the instructions of my brethren, all that is necessary to guide me in the future, that I may return back into His presence. I know this to be so; that it is the truth; and my desire for you is like the desire I have for myself, to again meet with you in the presence of our common Father in His celestial kingdom.
If people expect that we, who are here in these stands, are to confine ourselves to the spiritual necessities of the kingdom of God, they are somewhat mistaken. We have to deal with that which is before us, the everyday life which we live in the localities where our homes and interests are situated. We can come here and feel well for a short time, but if we lay aside the spirit we obtain at these conferences, and which we will find in our meetings at home if we attend them—if we lay that spirit aside, the course of life will seem too strong for us. I never saw a time in my life, in my experience, when it was more necessary to be humble in prayer, in public, in private, and in family worship than at the present time. I never saw a time in the history of this Church, so far as my knowledge extends, when we were more tempted to omit these commandments of the Lord; something intervenes, something prevents the husband and the wife from gathering their families, their children, in their household and observing this duty. O, I haven't time to pray this morning. The temptation is great to omit it. I testify unto this congregation that if you will go to your homies throughout the length and breadth of the land and will humbly seek your Father in prayer and in supplication, in private and in public, as your duty may call and the spirit direct, that you will grow and increase and life will become a ten-fold pleasure to you. I testify to you that you will create a sentiment and a feeling in the hearts of your sons and daughters that you will marvel at, and rejoice to see the reformation that will take place in all the households of the Latter-day Saints who observe this simple duty. Try it. Let every man and every woman go from this Conference with a determination to observe these requirements which God has made of them. We go into the Stakes and visit the people a great deal, and we find much that needs talking about. In some Stakes that I have visited in the past—I will say in the last year — I find occasionally that the President of the Stake has lost his grip to some extent, lost his influence, and that there are opposing forces arrayed against him among his brethren and sisters-— that tie his hands, to a great extent. Why these people have a power. One of the brethren said that when he faced the people before him, who are in the image of our God and our Savior, it made him tremble. These people have a force and a power. If you are not in sympathy with me when I stand here to teach you, then I have no influence. You have this power in your wards, in your societies and in your associations.
In visiting some of the wards I have had the pleasure of visiting the Relief Societies, and I asked one person in relation to the visits of the Bishop to their meetings, "Why," the president said to me, "the Bishop never visits us; he never attends our meetings." Here is a neglect on the part of the Bishop in something that is very essential, and they should repent of this, and every meeting that is held, every interest of that ward, should be his especial care, and make it his duty to supervise it as far as need be, and be in perfect harmony with them and have them in perfect harmony with him in all their labors. I go again to the Sabbath school, and on one occasion I said to the presiding officer: "Who are those little boys on those back benches?" "Why," he said to me in a whisper, "those are our hoodlums. We work with them as best we can. You see that brother is a mild tempered man. He sits right there by those little fellows trying to keep them in order; and we use every effort and all the persuasion that we are capable of to get them to observe order, but I tell you. Brother Young, with all they get from here, their parents are indifferent as to what their children do. Parents neglect their children and they run hither and thither all the week long and when they come into the Sabbath school it is almost useless to try to keep them quiet and orderly for the little fellows have been neglected and disorderly the whole week." Fathers and mothers do not second the efforts of these excellent, disinterested teachers who go Sabbath after Sabbath to their Sunday schools, and seek to inform their children's minds that they may grow up useful men and women in the Church of Christ. There is a neglect in this department throughout the length and breadth of the land. Will the people of this Conference go from here and take up these subjects and say in their hearts: With the help of God we will aid the Sabbath schools, for they cannot do it all? The president of a Stake cannot do everything; the Bishop cannot do everything; but we are all neglectful in some things, and here are evils that must be corrected.
I find in some localities that there is a disregard of the principle of tithing as well. Who is forced to pay tithing? Nobody; the principle upon which some of the brethren work with whom I am acquainted is, they say in their hearts, and they have said it to me: "I want to bind the Lord. He has promised; I want to fulfill my part of that promise that it may be verified to me." They are punctual and they strive to discharge that obligation. If we do it not, we have no promise, but we have a promise if we fulfill it, and though we may do it imperfectly but with a good and honest heart and if we are striving to do our duty in this respect, God is bound to fulfill His part. He always does it, as was testified of here by the brethren who have spoken this morning. God always fulfills His part. Now, brethren, try it. If you come here and listen to the words of inspiration from our Presidency, from our brethren, the leading men, they fall upon stony ground if you do not heed them. You must not do this. Go from here with the determination that with the help of God you will fulfill your obligations.
There is another thing that I find a great evil among some of the people, and that is moral cowardice. A brother offends, and they have not the moral courage to go to him and say: "You have offended me; let us' make it right, brother, so that we can live in harmony." Brethren and sisters, make up your minds to take the Doctrine and Covenants and study what God says upon this subject; when you go to your homes, read it; and with the help of God keep enmity and jealousy out of your hearts. God has commanded ill and He demands it at our hands— that we have no such feelings. He demands it this day, because they are evils in our midst. Let me have the moral courage, and instead of saying as I have heard men. say: "I will get even with him," let me go to the man if I have got anything to say to him and say it in as mild a spirit as I can command under the inspiration of the Spirit, of God, and say to him: "Let us heal these differences." That brings peace, that brings love and joy, and the love; of God will increase in the midst of the people.
We are too apt to make a man an offender for a word. If God was to make you and I am offender for a word, we never would rise above the existence we have here; we never could see anything better than we have here; but He would have you to never sit in judgment upon your fellowmen. Let God judge, whose right it is to judge. Who knows what his providences are? If I am injured, or tempted, or should have to meet sorrow or sickness or death, if I have lived according to the light that He has given me, am I not safe in every particular? O, yes. God will overrule; but don't let me sit in judgment upon my fellow man; let God judge; and let me say in my heart, However constrained my circumstances may be, I acknowledge the hand of God in everything.
Now, beware of the leaven of the Gentiles, I suppose this is too plain talk for this time of year, under the circumstances. What do I mean by it? I mean by that that you have received a knowledge of the Holy One, and the leaven of the Gentiles is to leaven that knowledge that you have received from God Himself until it is entirely obscured.
Now, there is a great harvest; the earth groans with her harvest. Looking backward need I cite you to the past few year's experience that we have had, need I say to you that the day was when your cattle was worth nothing? The man that owned the most cattle was among the poorest in Zion. Today we are beginning to talk of cattle kings. There was no demand for them; no demand for grain today; but a little while ago, there was no demand for property in Salt Lake and throughout the State. Bye and bye, men were aroused and went in a sense crazy. These men are not all dead, and they are liable to go crazy again. Plenty will follow a dearth, and dearth will follow plenty. We are thriving in every particular, in every manner, in wealth, material wealth that is useful, that builds us up, that feeds and clothes us, that gives us homes and habitations, beautiful orchards, gardens, farms— all that we desire. We are wonderfully blessed in material wealth here. Brethren do you not suppose that there will come a time when these, all these things will be changed? Why I know that such action will come. I do not know when, but mark it, whenever there Is a flush, It seems to me that the opposite follows. It is so in the rains that fall upon the earth; when we have deep snows in the mountains and plenty of water here, in a little time this plentiful supply is followed by a drought. It seems to me that it comes in streaks.
Well, now, this is so in our lives. God will temper these things to the good of His people. When the earth yields in abundance is the time to take care of it. When you have plenty of grain, plenty of wealth and the abundance of the earth is given to you, I say to you' go from this Conference and take care of it. Brother George Goddard said yesterday a thing that was written upon my mind and has been ever since I saw the fields north and south: Seeing the enormous quantity of the products of the earth, I felt in my heart that a scarcity may follow this plenty. I do pray that the Saints, above all men, will take care of the bounties that the Lord has given them.
There is a great deal that comes to my mind in relation to this matter, but I haven't time to talk about it, and I do not think it would be profitable to do it here, but I can touch upon the points that I had in my mind and that come to me standing here, for the Latter- day Saints to be mindful of.
One of the great things for us to do is to be mindful of our children, our sons and daughters. Now some of you who live in the country permit your daughters to come to this city to get work. They come here to work for a livelihood, to get themselves clothing and to help their families, and for other reasons. Our girls want to appear as well as anybody. They are certainly as good looking as any other class of young ladies I have met in my travels on the earth, and they want to show their good looks and be a little fashionable. We cannot help that; I do not know that they can. But there is a great difference between this and permitting them to be surrounded by circumstances through which they might be led astray. If it is necessary for them to go out to work, try to see that they get a situation where they at least will be respected, and return to you as they left you, with their virtue not destroyed, but willing to come into the family circle, and the family circle willing to receive them.
I rejoice with you. God bless you, and let us one and all go from this Conference with the determination that we will live as God would have us live, that we may attain unto the great blessing of eternal life.
May God be with us in our homes and in our habitations throughout the length and breadth of the land, and strengthen us in the cause of truth, for I believe in my heart that the Latter-day Saints are the only people that are striving intelligently to be saved in the celestial kingdom of our God. Amen.
The Huntington choir sang the anthem : The song of the Redeemer.
Benediction by Elder B. H. Roberts.
2 p. m.
Singing by the Tabernacle choir and congregation:
God moves in a mysterious way.
His wonders to perform.
Prayer by Elder Anthon H. Lund.
The choir sang the anthem: God of Israel, hear our prayer.
The solo parts were sung by Sister Lizzie Thomas Edward and Brother Thomas Ashworth, and the quartet by these and Sister Mabel Cooper and Brother Willard Christopherson.
The quorums of Priesthood were present in solemn assembly for the purpose of voting, in that capacity, for the General Authorities of the Church. They were arranged as follows:
The Twelve Apostles in their usual seats on the main stand.
On the south part of the stand, the Patriarchs, the Presidents of Stakes, with their counselors, and High Councilors.
On the north part of the stand, the Bishops and their counselors, with the Presiding Bishopric in front of them.
The High Priests in the north center of the body of the house; the quorum presidents in front.
The Seventies in the south center of the body of the house, the First Seven Presidents in front.
The Elders immediately behind the High Priests.
The Lesser Priesthood on the north side of the house.
The gallery was occupied by the people in general.
Singing by the Tabernacle choir and congregation:
God moves in a mysterious way.
His wonders to perform.
Prayer by Elder Anthon H. Lund.
The choir sang the anthem: God of Israel, hear our prayer.
The solo parts were sung by Sister Lizzie Thomas Edward and Brother Thomas Ashworth, and the quartet by these and Sister Mabel Cooper and Brother Willard Christopherson.
The quorums of Priesthood were present in solemn assembly for the purpose of voting, in that capacity, for the General Authorities of the Church. They were arranged as follows:
The Twelve Apostles in their usual seats on the main stand.
On the south part of the stand, the Patriarchs, the Presidents of Stakes, with their counselors, and High Councilors.
On the north part of the stand, the Bishops and their counselors, with the Presiding Bishopric in front of them.
The High Priests in the north center of the body of the house; the quorum presidents in front.
The Seventies in the south center of the body of the house, the First Seven Presidents in front.
The Elders immediately behind the High Priests.
The Lesser Priesthood on the north side of the house.
The gallery was occupied by the people in general.
PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON said:
This is a very solemn occasion, and the spectacle from the stand is most impressive. It is difficult to repress emotion on seeding such an assembly. We have come together this afternoon in solemn assembly, to vote for the authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Every one present is entitled to vote — to vote as he pleases—that is, every member of the Church. They can either vote for or against. Everyone has perfect liberty. And it is well that you should understand the method of voting. The brethren will be called upon in their various quorum capacities to vote. If their vote is an affirmative vote, they will rise from their seats and raise their light hands. When they have thus voted, if there are any negative votes—they having kept their seats—they can rise and vote. And each one as I have said, will have perfect liberty to vote as he pleases.
The order of voting by quorums was as follows:
First—The Twelve Apostles.
Second—The Patriarchs, Presidents of Slakes and their counselors, and the High Councilors.
Third—High Priests.
Fourth—Seventies.
Fifth—Elders.
Sixth—Bishops and their counselors.
Seventh — Priests, Teachers and Deacons.
Eighth—The entire congregation.
In each instance President Cannon announced the vote to sustain the authorities successively, then said to the voting quorum: Are you prepared to vote upon this question? If so, arise to your feet and raise your right hands. When the affirmative vote was cast he called for those opposed, to arise to their feet.
Lorenzo Snow, 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.
Franklin D. Richards as President of the Twelve Apostles.
As members of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles—Franklin D. Richards, Brigham Young, Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, Marriner W. Merrill, Anthon H. Lund, Matthias F. Cowley and Abraham O. Woodruff.
All the voting was unanimous, and it was so announced, until the negative vote upon sustaining the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was called from the Elders. Two of these arose to their feet. President Cannon addressing them, asked who they objected to and for what reason?
Each of these two Elders said he objected to John W. Taylor, and the reason was certain objectionable remarks made by him in Conference on Friday, October 7th.
They were asked if they would come to the stand at the close of the session and see whether Brother Taylor could make the matter right with and satisfy them. Both replied that they were willing to do this.
The voting for members of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles then went forward uninterrupted and was unanimous, until the negative vote of the entire Congregation was called for. At this point a number of members of the Tabernacle choir, probably from twenty to twenty-five of both sexes, arose to their feet.
On being asked by President Cannon who they objected to and the reason for it, they replied that they objected to John W. Taylor on account of some disparaging remarks he had made in Conference regarding the choir, on Friday, October 7th. They were asked if they were willing that Brother Taylor should personally meet with the choir and endeavor to make the matter right to their satisfaction. They signified that this arrangement was agreeable to them.
It was then announced by President Cannon that a vacancy had been created in the quorum of the Twelve Apostles by the removal of President Snow from it to assume the position of President of the Church. It had been decided that this vacancy should be filled, and announced the name of Rudger Clawson for the position. The mind and word of the Lord had been obtained upon the selection of Brother Clawson for this office.
A motion was made and put to the several quorums and to the entire congregation, that Rudger Clawson be ordained an Apostle, be one of the Twelve Apostles and a member of that council. The voting was unanimously affirmative.
The following authorities were then presented to the entire congregation to be voted upon in the usual way which obtains at ordinary General Conferences, and were unanimously sustained:
The counselors in the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles as Prophets, Seers and Revelators.
Patriarch to the Church—John Smith.
First Seven Presidents of the Seventies— Seymour B. Young, C. D. Fjeldsted, B. H. Roberts, George Reynolds, Jonathan G. Kimball, Rulon S. Wells and Joseph W. McMurrin.
William 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, with John Jaques, Charles W. Penrose and Andrew Jenson as his assistants.
As the General Church Board of Education—Lorenzo Snow, George, Q. Cannon, Karl G. Maeser, Willard Young, Anthon H. Lund, James Sharp, Joseph F. Smith, John Nicholson and George H. Brimhall.
As Trustee-ln-Trust for the body of religious worshippers known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—Lorenzo Snow.
John Nicholson as clerk of the General Conference.
It was stated that the release of the presidency of the European mission had been contemplated, and that one of the number, Elder Edwin F. Parry, had already returned. By unanimous vote of the Conference, Elders Rulon S. Wells and Joseph W. McMurrin were also released, and Platt D. Lyman appointed to preside over the European mission, with James L. McMurrin and Henry W. Naisbitt as his counselors.
Similar unanimous action was taken with regard to releasing Brother Lautensock from the position of president over the German mission and the appointment of Arnold H. Schulthess to succeed him.
President Cannon remarked that there was no ether Church in the world the officers of which were subjected to such an ordeal as had been applied to those who had been voted on here today, and he felt thankful for the unanimity that had prevailed.
This is a very solemn occasion, and the spectacle from the stand is most impressive. It is difficult to repress emotion on seeding such an assembly. We have come together this afternoon in solemn assembly, to vote for the authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Every one present is entitled to vote — to vote as he pleases—that is, every member of the Church. They can either vote for or against. Everyone has perfect liberty. And it is well that you should understand the method of voting. The brethren will be called upon in their various quorum capacities to vote. If their vote is an affirmative vote, they will rise from their seats and raise their light hands. When they have thus voted, if there are any negative votes—they having kept their seats—they can rise and vote. And each one as I have said, will have perfect liberty to vote as he pleases.
The order of voting by quorums was as follows:
First—The Twelve Apostles.
Second—The Patriarchs, Presidents of Slakes and their counselors, and the High Councilors.
Third—High Priests.
Fourth—Seventies.
Fifth—Elders.
Sixth—Bishops and their counselors.
Seventh — Priests, Teachers and Deacons.
Eighth—The entire congregation.
In each instance President Cannon announced the vote to sustain the authorities successively, then said to the voting quorum: Are you prepared to vote upon this question? If so, arise to your feet and raise your right hands. When the affirmative vote was cast he called for those opposed, to arise to their feet.
Lorenzo Snow, 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.
Franklin D. Richards as President of the Twelve Apostles.
As members of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles—Franklin D. Richards, Brigham Young, Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, Marriner W. Merrill, Anthon H. Lund, Matthias F. Cowley and Abraham O. Woodruff.
All the voting was unanimous, and it was so announced, until the negative vote upon sustaining the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was called from the Elders. Two of these arose to their feet. President Cannon addressing them, asked who they objected to and for what reason?
Each of these two Elders said he objected to John W. Taylor, and the reason was certain objectionable remarks made by him in Conference on Friday, October 7th.
They were asked if they would come to the stand at the close of the session and see whether Brother Taylor could make the matter right with and satisfy them. Both replied that they were willing to do this.
The voting for members of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles then went forward uninterrupted and was unanimous, until the negative vote of the entire Congregation was called for. At this point a number of members of the Tabernacle choir, probably from twenty to twenty-five of both sexes, arose to their feet.
On being asked by President Cannon who they objected to and the reason for it, they replied that they objected to John W. Taylor on account of some disparaging remarks he had made in Conference regarding the choir, on Friday, October 7th. They were asked if they were willing that Brother Taylor should personally meet with the choir and endeavor to make the matter right to their satisfaction. They signified that this arrangement was agreeable to them.
It was then announced by President Cannon that a vacancy had been created in the quorum of the Twelve Apostles by the removal of President Snow from it to assume the position of President of the Church. It had been decided that this vacancy should be filled, and announced the name of Rudger Clawson for the position. The mind and word of the Lord had been obtained upon the selection of Brother Clawson for this office.
A motion was made and put to the several quorums and to the entire congregation, that Rudger Clawson be ordained an Apostle, be one of the Twelve Apostles and a member of that council. The voting was unanimously affirmative.
The following authorities were then presented to the entire congregation to be voted upon in the usual way which obtains at ordinary General Conferences, and were unanimously sustained:
The counselors in the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles as Prophets, Seers and Revelators.
Patriarch to the Church—John Smith.
First Seven Presidents of the Seventies— Seymour B. Young, C. D. Fjeldsted, B. H. Roberts, George Reynolds, Jonathan G. Kimball, Rulon S. Wells and Joseph W. McMurrin.
William 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, with John Jaques, Charles W. Penrose and Andrew Jenson as his assistants.
As the General Church Board of Education—Lorenzo Snow, George, Q. Cannon, Karl G. Maeser, Willard Young, Anthon H. Lund, James Sharp, Joseph F. Smith, John Nicholson and George H. Brimhall.
As Trustee-ln-Trust for the body of religious worshippers known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—Lorenzo Snow.
John Nicholson as clerk of the General Conference.
It was stated that the release of the presidency of the European mission had been contemplated, and that one of the number, Elder Edwin F. Parry, had already returned. By unanimous vote of the Conference, Elders Rulon S. Wells and Joseph W. McMurrin were also released, and Platt D. Lyman appointed to preside over the European mission, with James L. McMurrin and Henry W. Naisbitt as his counselors.
Similar unanimous action was taken with regard to releasing Brother Lautensock from the position of president over the German mission and the appointment of Arnold H. Schulthess to succeed him.
President Cannon remarked that there was no ether Church in the world the officers of which were subjected to such an ordeal as had been applied to those who had been voted on here today, and he felt thankful for the unanimity that had prevailed.
ELDER RUDGER CLAWSON.
Brethren and sisters, this is a very trying position that I occupy before you this afternoon. It is) true, as President Cannon has said, that I have been placed in some trying situations. I was with Elder Joseph Standing at the time of his martyrdom, and was myself exposed for a few moments to martyrdom, but I escaped through the providence of the Lord. I have been placed behind prison bars for the testimony of Jesus, and that was a very trying situation. When I came out of the penitentiary I was told that the Lord wanted me to- labor as President of the Box Elder Stake, and I assure you, brethren and sisters, that that was a great surprise to me at that time, and very trying. I had been brought up in Salt Lake City; all my interests, all my associations, and, as I thought, all my expectations were in Salt Lake City, and it was a great trial for me to be called away. No inducements were offered, but I was told that the Lord would bless and sustain me in that appointment, and I testify to you, my brethren and sisters, that I have been sustained in my presidency of the Box Elder Stake of Zion, and I have enjoyed my labors there. There is a good people in that Stakes — a people, I believe, who are trying to serve the Lord. They have sustained me and I have felt blessed and prospered in my labors there. This later call that has come has proven to be a very great surprise. I had no knowledge of it; I had no notice of it whatever only as it has come to me today in this meeting. My patriarchal blessing, that was given a number of years ago., indicated that I would be called to a high appointment in the Church in the due time of the Lord, and I presume that this is the appointment now. I feel very weak; I feel very humble. I know that unless I can. enjoy the spirit of the apostleship and the faith and prayers and the support of my brethren and sisters of this Church I cannot stand, I cannot succeed in this labor; and therefore I earnestly pray that God will be with me, and. that I may have your faith and prayers, and I ask it in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Brethren and sisters, this is a very trying position that I occupy before you this afternoon. It is) true, as President Cannon has said, that I have been placed in some trying situations. I was with Elder Joseph Standing at the time of his martyrdom, and was myself exposed for a few moments to martyrdom, but I escaped through the providence of the Lord. I have been placed behind prison bars for the testimony of Jesus, and that was a very trying situation. When I came out of the penitentiary I was told that the Lord wanted me to- labor as President of the Box Elder Stake, and I assure you, brethren and sisters, that that was a great surprise to me at that time, and very trying. I had been brought up in Salt Lake City; all my interests, all my associations, and, as I thought, all my expectations were in Salt Lake City, and it was a great trial for me to be called away. No inducements were offered, but I was told that the Lord would bless and sustain me in that appointment, and I testify to you, my brethren and sisters, that I have been sustained in my presidency of the Box Elder Stake of Zion, and I have enjoyed my labors there. There is a good people in that Stakes — a people, I believe, who are trying to serve the Lord. They have sustained me and I have felt blessed and prospered in my labors there. This later call that has come has proven to be a very great surprise. I had no knowledge of it; I had no notice of it whatever only as it has come to me today in this meeting. My patriarchal blessing, that was given a number of years ago., indicated that I would be called to a high appointment in the Church in the due time of the Lord, and I presume that this is the appointment now. I feel very weak; I feel very humble. I know that unless I can. enjoy the spirit of the apostleship and the faith and prayers and the support of my brethren and sisters of this Church I cannot stand, I cannot succeed in this labor; and therefore I earnestly pray that God will be with me, and. that I may have your faith and prayers, and I ask it in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
PRESIDENT LORENZO SNOW.
A serious ordeal—A godlike resolve—The Saints increasing In strength—Will have greater power in the future—glory and dominion in eternity.
My brethren and sisters, this to me is, as it undoubtedly is to you, a solemn scene. It is wonderful what the Elders of Israel have succeeded in securing; it is perfectly marvelous the union of feeling and of action, found nowhere else in the world, among such a great number of people as are here this afternoon. I never felt more humble than I do on this occasion. It is, as was said by President Cannon, a serious ordeal through which we have to pass from time to time—to be presented here before the people, and all of our past acts and doings viewed by them, and we depend upon their sanction and approval or rejection. This belongs to them. The Holy Spirit of light, that brings intelligence to us and an understanding of sacred things, belongs to every member of the Church. They have a right to pass their opinion upon those that are presiding over them. The works and the labors that the officers perform in the presence of this people may be known and understood by every member of the Church—in a general way, at least. There may be some things that the First Presidency do; that the Apostles do, that cannot for the moment be explained; yet the spirit, the motives that inspire the action can be understood, because each member of the Church has a right to have that measure of the Spirit of God that they can judge as to those who are acting in their interests or otherwise.
Now, brethren, this much I say, and I say it in the name of the Lord: I will endeavor to be devoted to your interests and the interests of the kingdom of God. I will serve you to the best of my knowledge and understanding, in reference to that which will promote your interests in connection with the interests of the Almighty. I will do this, the Lord being my helper.
It is an easy thing for us to rise here and raise our right hands in token of our approval of what is presented before us. I can do that without any trouble, and so can you. But there is something involved in this rising here and raising our right hands in approval of the propositions presented; there is a meaning to it; something that ought to be well considered, and that is, acting in the future in accordance with this manifestation of our approval. Now, I know—and I know it well; no-body can know it better that if this mighty Priesthood and these Latter-day Saints that are before me will act up to that which they have approved by raising their right hands and in accordance with the motives that undoubtedly inspired them, the progress of this Church will be more rapid than it has been in the past. The Latter-day Saints are becoming stronger. They are much stronger at this Conference than they were at the last, as a general thing. There are some, no doubt, that are weaker, that have not the strength and the faith they had six months ago; but the people, speaking generally, are much stronger and, if called upon, could endure more and make higher sacrifices than they could have done six months ago. There is a satisfaction in this consideration.
In this solemn assembly, let us decree in our hearts, let us inwardly testify to the Lord, that we will be a better people, a more united people at our next Conference than we are today. This should be the feeling and determination of every man and woman present in this solemn assembly. I feel in my heart that I will try to be more devoted than I have been in the past to the interests of the kingdom of God and the carrying out of His purposes. We are bound to rise and to advance in power and in Influence in the midst of the world. There may, as has been suggested by one of the speakers, be opposition to meet of a nature that we have never met before; such things have come in the past, and will come in the future; but I will assure you that if we will do our duty with a determination that we will be prepared for everything; we will go through successfully any future difficulties that may arise no matter how serious they may be. We have done wonders; we have passed through difficulties and made sacrifices that are marvelous, when we consider their nature. And we have done, and will do in the future, that which we never could have done unless we had educated ourselves by the spirit and power of God. We are a mighty people, and growing mightier as trials and difficulties arise. I can imagine that at some future period, in the other life, we will pass through an ordeal that will be as close and as serious to us as we have passed through today; for our past course and conduct will be fully understood. What a pleasure and consolation we have in thinking' of the past, the sacrifices we have made, the purity of our motives, and the feelings that have exercised us in the past in having done right and passed through ordeals that were of an unpleasant nature. Coming before this mighty people here, what a pleasure there is in thinking- that we have done heretofore about as well as we knew how, having kept our consciences tolerably clear. You who are seated here will have opportunities of standing in the presence of multitudes, and I can easily imagine, yonder in the next life, after we have passed along perhaps a thousand years or more, that many of you who are here today will have an audience before you of your o-win posterity. I am as sure of it as I am that I am talking to you; I know it just as well as I know anything. Now we are starting in. Most of us, no doubt ,have sons and daughters who will continue faithful to your counsels, and in the other life they will be with you and increase with you. It was said to Abraham on one occasion that his posterity should be as numerous as the sands upon the sea shore and as the stars in the firmament. His offspring: are being increased generation after generation. It is well for us, once in a while to look away ahead and see what will be the result of all the sacrifices and labors that we endure and perform in this life. This existence is but a moment; but the other life is continuous from eternity to eternity. This is Sunday, and we are not pleased to talk very much on Sunday, or any other day, on matters of politics; but I sometimes think that our friends here make themselves a great deal of trouble and there are no fruits to their labors and exertions. No matter what condition we are in, we ought to have that understanding that we can do all our labors whatever they may be, as the Lord pleases that we should do them. We should perform them right and be faithful in every calling and position that we occupy. Whatever may be the difficulties or the temptations that a person may labor under, he should so govern and control himself that in every condition he may act wisely and in a way that will increase his intelligence, power and faith. It is a grand position that we occupy. Our future is glorious. We could not desire more for our happiness than has been prepared for us. Those who endure unto the end shall sit upon thrones, as Jesus hath overcome and sat down upon His Father's throne. All things shall be given unto such men and women, so we are told in the revelations we have received. In view of these prospects, what should we not be willing to sacrifice when duty requires? It is a great thing, we say, for a man to be an Apostle; yet there are things you can look forward to which are greater than this. A man has no reason to envy his friend because he happens to get a little higher than himself. The glory that is before, us is open to every man and every woman, through this Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation, glory and exaltation, in the fulness thereof. We have learned some things that are more valuable to us than a gold mine of the highest richness could possibly be. We are the offspring of God, He is our Father, and we have a mother in the other life as well. These women that are sealed to us for time and eternity will, with our children be ours in the other life, going on in honor and glory. The Lord has revealed this to us, and we know it is so. Is it not something grand to know these things? So I say, we should be a holy people, a sanctified people, a people that God loves, and worthy of being directed in the highest path of glory and exaltation.
It has been a grand assembly this afternoon. We do not gee it every day in our lives. How soon such a gathering as this, for such a purpose will be again, God only knows, unless He has revealed it to someone, and I doubt whether He has.
Now, brethren and sisters, God bless you. I say it from my heart, and I feel it—God bless you. I feel that it belongs to me, and my brethren here, to be longsuffering, kind, always ready to forgive, and to cherish the highest love for every man and woman who is trying to do the will of God. Do not be discouraged, brethren. If you cannot become perfect at once; if you see that you have weaknesses which have brought you into some trouble, do not be discouraged; but repent of that which you have done wrong, by which you have lost more or less of the Spirit of God, tell the Lord what you have done, and resolve in your hearts that you will do it no more. Then the Spirit of the Lord will be upon you. I say again, my brethren and sisters, God bless you, to the full extent of that word, and fill you with His Holy Spirit; and may we all so live that, when we go forth from this life into the next, we may have such glorious scenes as we have here this afternoon. Amen.
Mrs. Emily E. Woodward of Boston, with much sweetness, sang a solo, Come Unto Him All Ye That Labor.
The choir and congregation sang: We thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet.
Benediction by President Joseph F. Smith.
Conference adjourned for six months.
The stenographic work in taking an account of the proceedings was done by Arthur Winter and E. H. Holt.
JOHN NICHOLSON,
Clerk of Conference.
A serious ordeal—A godlike resolve—The Saints increasing In strength—Will have greater power in the future—glory and dominion in eternity.
My brethren and sisters, this to me is, as it undoubtedly is to you, a solemn scene. It is wonderful what the Elders of Israel have succeeded in securing; it is perfectly marvelous the union of feeling and of action, found nowhere else in the world, among such a great number of people as are here this afternoon. I never felt more humble than I do on this occasion. It is, as was said by President Cannon, a serious ordeal through which we have to pass from time to time—to be presented here before the people, and all of our past acts and doings viewed by them, and we depend upon their sanction and approval or rejection. This belongs to them. The Holy Spirit of light, that brings intelligence to us and an understanding of sacred things, belongs to every member of the Church. They have a right to pass their opinion upon those that are presiding over them. The works and the labors that the officers perform in the presence of this people may be known and understood by every member of the Church—in a general way, at least. There may be some things that the First Presidency do; that the Apostles do, that cannot for the moment be explained; yet the spirit, the motives that inspire the action can be understood, because each member of the Church has a right to have that measure of the Spirit of God that they can judge as to those who are acting in their interests or otherwise.
Now, brethren, this much I say, and I say it in the name of the Lord: I will endeavor to be devoted to your interests and the interests of the kingdom of God. I will serve you to the best of my knowledge and understanding, in reference to that which will promote your interests in connection with the interests of the Almighty. I will do this, the Lord being my helper.
It is an easy thing for us to rise here and raise our right hands in token of our approval of what is presented before us. I can do that without any trouble, and so can you. But there is something involved in this rising here and raising our right hands in approval of the propositions presented; there is a meaning to it; something that ought to be well considered, and that is, acting in the future in accordance with this manifestation of our approval. Now, I know—and I know it well; no-body can know it better that if this mighty Priesthood and these Latter-day Saints that are before me will act up to that which they have approved by raising their right hands and in accordance with the motives that undoubtedly inspired them, the progress of this Church will be more rapid than it has been in the past. The Latter-day Saints are becoming stronger. They are much stronger at this Conference than they were at the last, as a general thing. There are some, no doubt, that are weaker, that have not the strength and the faith they had six months ago; but the people, speaking generally, are much stronger and, if called upon, could endure more and make higher sacrifices than they could have done six months ago. There is a satisfaction in this consideration.
In this solemn assembly, let us decree in our hearts, let us inwardly testify to the Lord, that we will be a better people, a more united people at our next Conference than we are today. This should be the feeling and determination of every man and woman present in this solemn assembly. I feel in my heart that I will try to be more devoted than I have been in the past to the interests of the kingdom of God and the carrying out of His purposes. We are bound to rise and to advance in power and in Influence in the midst of the world. There may, as has been suggested by one of the speakers, be opposition to meet of a nature that we have never met before; such things have come in the past, and will come in the future; but I will assure you that if we will do our duty with a determination that we will be prepared for everything; we will go through successfully any future difficulties that may arise no matter how serious they may be. We have done wonders; we have passed through difficulties and made sacrifices that are marvelous, when we consider their nature. And we have done, and will do in the future, that which we never could have done unless we had educated ourselves by the spirit and power of God. We are a mighty people, and growing mightier as trials and difficulties arise. I can imagine that at some future period, in the other life, we will pass through an ordeal that will be as close and as serious to us as we have passed through today; for our past course and conduct will be fully understood. What a pleasure and consolation we have in thinking' of the past, the sacrifices we have made, the purity of our motives, and the feelings that have exercised us in the past in having done right and passed through ordeals that were of an unpleasant nature. Coming before this mighty people here, what a pleasure there is in thinking- that we have done heretofore about as well as we knew how, having kept our consciences tolerably clear. You who are seated here will have opportunities of standing in the presence of multitudes, and I can easily imagine, yonder in the next life, after we have passed along perhaps a thousand years or more, that many of you who are here today will have an audience before you of your o-win posterity. I am as sure of it as I am that I am talking to you; I know it just as well as I know anything. Now we are starting in. Most of us, no doubt ,have sons and daughters who will continue faithful to your counsels, and in the other life they will be with you and increase with you. It was said to Abraham on one occasion that his posterity should be as numerous as the sands upon the sea shore and as the stars in the firmament. His offspring: are being increased generation after generation. It is well for us, once in a while to look away ahead and see what will be the result of all the sacrifices and labors that we endure and perform in this life. This existence is but a moment; but the other life is continuous from eternity to eternity. This is Sunday, and we are not pleased to talk very much on Sunday, or any other day, on matters of politics; but I sometimes think that our friends here make themselves a great deal of trouble and there are no fruits to their labors and exertions. No matter what condition we are in, we ought to have that understanding that we can do all our labors whatever they may be, as the Lord pleases that we should do them. We should perform them right and be faithful in every calling and position that we occupy. Whatever may be the difficulties or the temptations that a person may labor under, he should so govern and control himself that in every condition he may act wisely and in a way that will increase his intelligence, power and faith. It is a grand position that we occupy. Our future is glorious. We could not desire more for our happiness than has been prepared for us. Those who endure unto the end shall sit upon thrones, as Jesus hath overcome and sat down upon His Father's throne. All things shall be given unto such men and women, so we are told in the revelations we have received. In view of these prospects, what should we not be willing to sacrifice when duty requires? It is a great thing, we say, for a man to be an Apostle; yet there are things you can look forward to which are greater than this. A man has no reason to envy his friend because he happens to get a little higher than himself. The glory that is before, us is open to every man and every woman, through this Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation, glory and exaltation, in the fulness thereof. We have learned some things that are more valuable to us than a gold mine of the highest richness could possibly be. We are the offspring of God, He is our Father, and we have a mother in the other life as well. These women that are sealed to us for time and eternity will, with our children be ours in the other life, going on in honor and glory. The Lord has revealed this to us, and we know it is so. Is it not something grand to know these things? So I say, we should be a holy people, a sanctified people, a people that God loves, and worthy of being directed in the highest path of glory and exaltation.
It has been a grand assembly this afternoon. We do not gee it every day in our lives. How soon such a gathering as this, for such a purpose will be again, God only knows, unless He has revealed it to someone, and I doubt whether He has.
Now, brethren and sisters, God bless you. I say it from my heart, and I feel it—God bless you. I feel that it belongs to me, and my brethren here, to be longsuffering, kind, always ready to forgive, and to cherish the highest love for every man and woman who is trying to do the will of God. Do not be discouraged, brethren. If you cannot become perfect at once; if you see that you have weaknesses which have brought you into some trouble, do not be discouraged; but repent of that which you have done wrong, by which you have lost more or less of the Spirit of God, tell the Lord what you have done, and resolve in your hearts that you will do it no more. Then the Spirit of the Lord will be upon you. I say again, my brethren and sisters, God bless you, to the full extent of that word, and fill you with His Holy Spirit; and may we all so live that, when we go forth from this life into the next, we may have such glorious scenes as we have here this afternoon. Amen.
Mrs. Emily E. Woodward of Boston, with much sweetness, sang a solo, Come Unto Him All Ye That Labor.
The choir and congregation sang: We thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet.
Benediction by President Joseph F. Smith.
Conference adjourned for six months.
The stenographic work in taking an account of the proceedings was done by Arthur Winter and E. H. Holt.
JOHN NICHOLSON,
Clerk of Conference.
DESERET SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION
Its Annual General Conference.
The general semi-annual conference of the Sunday schools of the Latter-day Saints was held at the Tabernacle, Sunday evening', October 9th, 1898, at 7 o'clock. There were present, of the general superintendency, George Q. Cannon, George Goddard and Karl G. Maeser; all of the members of the Deseret Sunday School Union Board, and aids, several of the Apostles, the Presiding Bishopric, and many Stake superintendents, ward officers and Sunday school workers.
The conference opened with the singing of "America" by Professor Evan Stephens' juvenile class, numbering about 300 children.
Prayer was offered by Elder Andrew Kimball. The juveniles then sang "We Ever Pray for Thee." General Secretary Geo. D. Pyper then called the roll, which was responded to by twenty- nine Stakes.
Elder Heber J. Grant presented the general Sunday school authorities, and they were sustained as follows:
George Q. Cannon, general superintendent; George Goddard, first assistant general superintendent; Karl G. Maeser, second assistant general superintendent; Geo. D. Pyper, general secretary; George Reynolds, general treasurer; Leo Hunsaker, stenographer.
As members of the Deseret Sunday School Union Board: George Q. Cannon, George Goddard, Karl G. Maeser, George Reynolds, Thomas C. Griggs, Joseph W. Summerhays, Levi W. Richards, Francis M. Lyman, Heber J. Grant, Joseph M. Tanner, George Teasdale, Hugh J. Cannon, Andrew Kim ball, and Joseph F. Smith.
As aids to the board: L. John Nuttall, James W. Ure, John F. Bennett, John M. Mills, W. B. Dougall, W. D. Owen, Seymour B. Young and C. D. Fjeldsted.
Its Annual General Conference.
The general semi-annual conference of the Sunday schools of the Latter-day Saints was held at the Tabernacle, Sunday evening', October 9th, 1898, at 7 o'clock. There were present, of the general superintendency, George Q. Cannon, George Goddard and Karl G. Maeser; all of the members of the Deseret Sunday School Union Board, and aids, several of the Apostles, the Presiding Bishopric, and many Stake superintendents, ward officers and Sunday school workers.
The conference opened with the singing of "America" by Professor Evan Stephens' juvenile class, numbering about 300 children.
Prayer was offered by Elder Andrew Kimball. The juveniles then sang "We Ever Pray for Thee." General Secretary Geo. D. Pyper then called the roll, which was responded to by twenty- nine Stakes.
Elder Heber J. Grant presented the general Sunday school authorities, and they were sustained as follows:
George Q. Cannon, general superintendent; George Goddard, first assistant general superintendent; Karl G. Maeser, second assistant general superintendent; Geo. D. Pyper, general secretary; George Reynolds, general treasurer; Leo Hunsaker, stenographer.
As members of the Deseret Sunday School Union Board: George Q. Cannon, George Goddard, Karl G. Maeser, George Reynolds, Thomas C. Griggs, Joseph W. Summerhays, Levi W. Richards, Francis M. Lyman, Heber J. Grant, Joseph M. Tanner, George Teasdale, Hugh J. Cannon, Andrew Kim ball, and Joseph F. Smith.
As aids to the board: L. John Nuttall, James W. Ure, John F. Bennett, John M. Mills, W. B. Dougall, W. D. Owen, Seymour B. Young and C. D. Fjeldsted.
First Assistant General Superintendent George Goddard said:
"I feel truly grateful to my Heavenly Father for the privilege of meeting so many of you here in the interest of our Sunday schools. And, as I notice so many in the congregation before me and so many of the juveniles behind me, it would be a gratification to myself and the other authorities of our schools, if all the Sunday school children and all the teachers and officers of our Sunday schools that are here tonight will please rise to their feet, that we may see how much of a congregation of Sunday school workers we have got. (Almost the entire congregation arose.)
"Forty-nine years ago there was not ne Sunday school amongst the Latter-day Saints; today, we have over a thousand. We have over 12,000 teachers in our Sunday schools, and over 100,000 Sunday school children—the largest numerically of any organization in the Church. We have forty organized Stakes of Zion. Out of these forty Stakes, twenty-seven Sunday school conferences have been held, and some members of our Union Board have been present at each, since our last April conference. The labor now devolving upon the Sunday School Union Board is very great. We have correspondence all over the world. We meet every Thursday, hold about, on an average, a two hours' meeting, and that scarcely gives us time to get through the business that is required. The needs of all these schools are of that character that the Nickel Fund is not sufficient to meet the requirements of the growing conditions of our youth. Think of the mighty army! We have got between twelve and fifteen thousand Sunday school officers and teachers devoting their time to the work without any compensation. I say God bless the Sunday school workers for the love they take in training the youth of Zion to become citizens fit for any part of the civilized world.
I was requested to close my remarks by singing a song, and a song that had a good chorus to it. Six months ago, at our last April Conference, while sitting on this stand here, a young lady came up and asked me to rise on my feet, and she placed on my left breast a gold medal, the head line of which simply reads, "Who's on the Lord's Side?" That fact reminded me that I could not make a better selection than to sing that very same song.
Elder Goddard sang, "Who's on the Lord's Side?" At the end of the second verse he asked everyone who would like to be on the Lord's side when the Savior comes to rise to their feet as an expression of that desire, while he should sing the last verse. (The full congregation arose and joined in the chorus.)
"I feel truly grateful to my Heavenly Father for the privilege of meeting so many of you here in the interest of our Sunday schools. And, as I notice so many in the congregation before me and so many of the juveniles behind me, it would be a gratification to myself and the other authorities of our schools, if all the Sunday school children and all the teachers and officers of our Sunday schools that are here tonight will please rise to their feet, that we may see how much of a congregation of Sunday school workers we have got. (Almost the entire congregation arose.)
"Forty-nine years ago there was not ne Sunday school amongst the Latter-day Saints; today, we have over a thousand. We have over 12,000 teachers in our Sunday schools, and over 100,000 Sunday school children—the largest numerically of any organization in the Church. We have forty organized Stakes of Zion. Out of these forty Stakes, twenty-seven Sunday school conferences have been held, and some members of our Union Board have been present at each, since our last April conference. The labor now devolving upon the Sunday School Union Board is very great. We have correspondence all over the world. We meet every Thursday, hold about, on an average, a two hours' meeting, and that scarcely gives us time to get through the business that is required. The needs of all these schools are of that character that the Nickel Fund is not sufficient to meet the requirements of the growing conditions of our youth. Think of the mighty army! We have got between twelve and fifteen thousand Sunday school officers and teachers devoting their time to the work without any compensation. I say God bless the Sunday school workers for the love they take in training the youth of Zion to become citizens fit for any part of the civilized world.
I was requested to close my remarks by singing a song, and a song that had a good chorus to it. Six months ago, at our last April Conference, while sitting on this stand here, a young lady came up and asked me to rise on my feet, and she placed on my left breast a gold medal, the head line of which simply reads, "Who's on the Lord's Side?" That fact reminded me that I could not make a better selection than to sing that very same song.
Elder Goddard sang, "Who's on the Lord's Side?" At the end of the second verse he asked everyone who would like to be on the Lord's side when the Savior comes to rise to their feet as an expression of that desire, while he should sing the last verse. (The full congregation arose and joined in the chorus.)
Treasurer George Reynolds
said he simply desired to make two or three business announcements. The first was that at our last conference the general board promised that they would issue during the present year forty leaflets: but finding that if they issued forty only they would have to leave off the lessons at a point that was undesirable, they had decided to issue eight more: so that forty-eight leaflets will be issued this year, concluding with the Book of Mormon lessons at the end of the monarchy and the establishment of the republic amongst the Nephites. But the board found in their visits that nearly all the schools are behind; in fact, it could not be otherwise with those who, with care, teach the leaflets, for very few of the leaflets can be considered, digested and understood in one Sabbath morning. It would take three mornings with many of those lessons to understand them properly. Therefore, the board had decided to cease the publication of the leaflets for a few months to enable the schools to catch up, and also for those who want to go over the lessons the second time to perfect themselves therein, that they may have the opportunity of so doing. So the leaflets will be published to the end of the present year and then the Union board will cease for a short time to issue any more. He invited the Stake superintendents and ward superintendents and other officers interested, to call at the office of the Deseret Sunday School Union in the Templeton building, rooms 408 and 409, to examine some object lesson charts, published by Bancroft Bros. & Co., San Francisco—lessons which they claimed were highly valuable in the Sunday school cause. They were more particularly intended to illustrate passages of Scripture wherein natural objects were spoken of, such as the different seeds, herbs, minerals, money and measures, and the different kinds of wood, etc.
Elder Reynolds also announced that the annual Sunday school conference of Uintah Stake would he held on the last Saturday and Sunday of this month, the 29th and 30th of October, and that of the Emery Stake on the 5th and 6th of November. Other Stake Sunday school conferences would be announced later.
said he simply desired to make two or three business announcements. The first was that at our last conference the general board promised that they would issue during the present year forty leaflets: but finding that if they issued forty only they would have to leave off the lessons at a point that was undesirable, they had decided to issue eight more: so that forty-eight leaflets will be issued this year, concluding with the Book of Mormon lessons at the end of the monarchy and the establishment of the republic amongst the Nephites. But the board found in their visits that nearly all the schools are behind; in fact, it could not be otherwise with those who, with care, teach the leaflets, for very few of the leaflets can be considered, digested and understood in one Sabbath morning. It would take three mornings with many of those lessons to understand them properly. Therefore, the board had decided to cease the publication of the leaflets for a few months to enable the schools to catch up, and also for those who want to go over the lessons the second time to perfect themselves therein, that they may have the opportunity of so doing. So the leaflets will be published to the end of the present year and then the Union board will cease for a short time to issue any more. He invited the Stake superintendents and ward superintendents and other officers interested, to call at the office of the Deseret Sunday School Union in the Templeton building, rooms 408 and 409, to examine some object lesson charts, published by Bancroft Bros. & Co., San Francisco—lessons which they claimed were highly valuable in the Sunday school cause. They were more particularly intended to illustrate passages of Scripture wherein natural objects were spoken of, such as the different seeds, herbs, minerals, money and measures, and the different kinds of wood, etc.
Elder Reynolds also announced that the annual Sunday school conference of Uintah Stake would he held on the last Saturday and Sunday of this month, the 29th and 30th of October, and that of the Emery Stake on the 5th and 6th of November. Other Stake Sunday school conferences would be announced later.
Elder Heber J. Grant
read a letter signed by the general superintendency on the subject of the nickel fund. Continuing he said:
"We wish it understood distinctly that on this nickel Sunday we desire a nickel from every man, woman and child connected with the Sunday school. And if anyone wants to pay a dollar, five dollars, ten, or even fifty or a hundred dollars, we won't say no. We are perfectly willing to have you put a hundred dollar bill in the nickel envelope, if you feel like doing so. Every dollar that has ever been paid in on this nickel Sunday has been used for the salvation of our children. As has been stated here by Brother Goddard, the board meets regularly every week and considers matters connected with the interests of the Sunday schools; they devote their time and talents for the benefit of the Sunday school cause, and have done it without remuneration. They have traveled hundreds and thousands of miles in the interest of the Sunday schools. And it needs this small contribution to furnish them with the sinews of war, so to speak. We trust that every Sunday school superintendent win see that there is a sum equal at least to the total number of officers, teachers and pupils in the school, reckoning at five cents each; and we would be pleased if you sent more, because a proper use will be made of all the funds placed in our hands."
"It is the desire of our general superintendent, George Q. Cannon, that the Sunday schools should not have nickel Sundays for local purposes. We have found that the system of nickel day every Sunday in the year, or at least once a month, has grown up on account of this nickel fund of the Sunday School Union. The nickel Sunday has become popular, and a great majority of the superintendents and officers of Sunday schools have seen how well the nickel Sunday has worked and have inaugurated this system for the benefit of their local Sunday schools It has been and is the desire and expressed wish of our general superintendent that this be done away with and that we have the nickel Sunday only for the benefit of the Sunday School Union Board, and also for the benefit of the Stake Sunday schools, who receive one-fifth of the amount collected. We trust that you and every one will make this an individual matter and be more earnest and ardent workers, and there will be no difficulty in collecting these funds."
Elder Horace S. Ensign then sang the sacred solo, "Jerusalem," and his magnificent baritone voice charmed the large and appreciative audience.
read a letter signed by the general superintendency on the subject of the nickel fund. Continuing he said:
"We wish it understood distinctly that on this nickel Sunday we desire a nickel from every man, woman and child connected with the Sunday school. And if anyone wants to pay a dollar, five dollars, ten, or even fifty or a hundred dollars, we won't say no. We are perfectly willing to have you put a hundred dollar bill in the nickel envelope, if you feel like doing so. Every dollar that has ever been paid in on this nickel Sunday has been used for the salvation of our children. As has been stated here by Brother Goddard, the board meets regularly every week and considers matters connected with the interests of the Sunday schools; they devote their time and talents for the benefit of the Sunday school cause, and have done it without remuneration. They have traveled hundreds and thousands of miles in the interest of the Sunday schools. And it needs this small contribution to furnish them with the sinews of war, so to speak. We trust that every Sunday school superintendent win see that there is a sum equal at least to the total number of officers, teachers and pupils in the school, reckoning at five cents each; and we would be pleased if you sent more, because a proper use will be made of all the funds placed in our hands."
"It is the desire of our general superintendent, George Q. Cannon, that the Sunday schools should not have nickel Sundays for local purposes. We have found that the system of nickel day every Sunday in the year, or at least once a month, has grown up on account of this nickel fund of the Sunday School Union. The nickel Sunday has become popular, and a great majority of the superintendents and officers of Sunday schools have seen how well the nickel Sunday has worked and have inaugurated this system for the benefit of their local Sunday schools It has been and is the desire and expressed wish of our general superintendent that this be done away with and that we have the nickel Sunday only for the benefit of the Sunday School Union Board, and also for the benefit of the Stake Sunday schools, who receive one-fifth of the amount collected. We trust that you and every one will make this an individual matter and be more earnest and ardent workers, and there will be no difficulty in collecting these funds."
Elder Horace S. Ensign then sang the sacred solo, "Jerusalem," and his magnificent baritone voice charmed the large and appreciative audience.
General Superintendent George Q. Cannon said:
"I have been informed that there is an indifference, a growing indifference, noticeable in different places in relation to Sunday schools, and that there is not that interest apparent that has been and that should be. Of course, every movement of this kind must be sustained by energy and by those who are engaged in the movement taking an interest in it and giving it their attention and bestowing thought and labor upon it. Various suggestions have been made as to how this shall be remedied and what steps should be taken to infuse, shall I say new life, to infuse life a little more than we have 'at present, into every department of our Sunday schools. I need not dwell before this audience upon the importance of Sunday school work. It lies, it may be said, at the foundation of every association we have among us. The children that go to Sunday school soon become young men, and join the Mutual Improvement associations; and the girls grow to be young ladies and they have their functions to attend to, and they are more efficient in the path of success if they are trained in the Sunday school as they should be.
"Now, I have in my hand some memoranda regarding Sunday school work, and the holding of a convention for Sunday school workers. My proposition is that we should hold a Sunday school convention during the latter part of November or the beginning of December next; that we should have this not too near the Christmas holidays; that it last two days, Monday and Tuesday; that three meetings be held each day; that the Stake delegates be guests of the Deseret Sunday School Union Board apportioned among the Sunday schools of this city while they stay here; that badges shall be prepared for the visitors, for we want our brethren and sisters to come and visit us and take part in this convention; that President Angus M. Cannon and his counselors, the presidency of this Stake, be asked to give the preceding Sunday evening to the Deseret Sunday School Union, and that the board divide the visitors among the various wards to speak on Sunday school matters and help vivify the Sunday schools of the city. I trust that the presidency of this Stake will see their way clear to permit this and that it will not interfere with anything they may have in mind. The speakers chosen should be notified as Soon as possible, to give them time to prepare, so that in the event of any being unable to attend, the opportunity may be given to the board to select others. That is, if some are selected to prepare for this and they cannot fulfill the expectation or requirement, the board shall receive notice In time that others may be selected for the purpose; and a committee of three should be chosen from the members of the board to arrange the details of the convention and take charge of the preparatory work. Now these are points that I have written, so that you might get a clear idea of the object of the move. Here is a suggestive program for the Sunday school convention:
"Monday morning, address of welcome; the objects of the convention; the Sunday school treatise; Sunday school teacher's meeting; how to reach delinquent scholars.
"Monday afternoon, subjects: How to best maintain order in the school; how to use the Leaflets; the use of the Nickel Fund: home reading in connection with the Sunday school.
"Monday evening, how to grade the Sunday school; the relationship of the Church to the Sunday school; the Sunday school as an auxiliary to the home; the home as an auxiliary to the Sunday school.
"Tuesday morning. Kindergarten and infant classes in the Sunday school; punctuality—how best secured; the Sunday school superintendent; the Sunday school teacher.
On Tuesday afternoon, Sunday school choirs and their relationship to congregational singing; lesson on the presentation of the authorities; how to conduct Stake Sunday school conferences; the program for 1899 Stake conferences.
"Tuesday evening, how best to prepare a Sunday school lesson; the Bible in the Sunday school; the Book of Mormon in the Sunday school; the administration of the Sacrament in the schools. Each meeting to be opened by a half hour's singing practice of such songs as will be recommended to be sung at the 1899 Sunday school conferences, and such to be closed by remarks from the general superintendent and his assistants, as we may wish.
"Now these subjects we would like to have treated upon. If the committee can sec- where some improvements can be made in this, of course I shall be in favor of their having latitude to change or to suggest additional subjects."
Elder Seymour B. Young moved that the suggestions be adopted by this meeting. Carried. General Superintendent George Q. Cannon then appointed Elders George Reynolds, Joseph W. Summerhays and George D. Pyper as the committee to arrange the details of the convention and take charge of the preparatory work.
Continuing General Superintendent Cannon said: "I would like you to take hold of this energetically and let us have something that will be creditable and interesting, that all who attend may go away instructed and infused with rife and with a determination to lift the Sunday school and make it what it should be. This committee can take the necessary steps to invite such persons or brethren and sisters from afar as they may deem proper; but it is a general invitation and we would like you all to come, and we will do the best that can be done to entertain you, and give you a chance to teach us in our wards. Give us your ideas and tell us what you do, so that we may get a mutual benefit in mingling together in that manner.
"I may say that Brother Heber J. Grant's remarks about the nickel fund are in strict accord with my feelings. I do not want our Sunday schools to become begging institutions, or to become burdensome to our children. Do not make the poor children who cannot give the nickel feel badly. Avoid that, because the feelings of children are very delicate. We should not do anything that would make them feel that they are inferior in any way to anybody else. I hope that what has been said will be remembered by all the teachers and superintendents."
"I have been informed that there is an indifference, a growing indifference, noticeable in different places in relation to Sunday schools, and that there is not that interest apparent that has been and that should be. Of course, every movement of this kind must be sustained by energy and by those who are engaged in the movement taking an interest in it and giving it their attention and bestowing thought and labor upon it. Various suggestions have been made as to how this shall be remedied and what steps should be taken to infuse, shall I say new life, to infuse life a little more than we have 'at present, into every department of our Sunday schools. I need not dwell before this audience upon the importance of Sunday school work. It lies, it may be said, at the foundation of every association we have among us. The children that go to Sunday school soon become young men, and join the Mutual Improvement associations; and the girls grow to be young ladies and they have their functions to attend to, and they are more efficient in the path of success if they are trained in the Sunday school as they should be.
"Now, I have in my hand some memoranda regarding Sunday school work, and the holding of a convention for Sunday school workers. My proposition is that we should hold a Sunday school convention during the latter part of November or the beginning of December next; that we should have this not too near the Christmas holidays; that it last two days, Monday and Tuesday; that three meetings be held each day; that the Stake delegates be guests of the Deseret Sunday School Union Board apportioned among the Sunday schools of this city while they stay here; that badges shall be prepared for the visitors, for we want our brethren and sisters to come and visit us and take part in this convention; that President Angus M. Cannon and his counselors, the presidency of this Stake, be asked to give the preceding Sunday evening to the Deseret Sunday School Union, and that the board divide the visitors among the various wards to speak on Sunday school matters and help vivify the Sunday schools of the city. I trust that the presidency of this Stake will see their way clear to permit this and that it will not interfere with anything they may have in mind. The speakers chosen should be notified as Soon as possible, to give them time to prepare, so that in the event of any being unable to attend, the opportunity may be given to the board to select others. That is, if some are selected to prepare for this and they cannot fulfill the expectation or requirement, the board shall receive notice In time that others may be selected for the purpose; and a committee of three should be chosen from the members of the board to arrange the details of the convention and take charge of the preparatory work. Now these are points that I have written, so that you might get a clear idea of the object of the move. Here is a suggestive program for the Sunday school convention:
"Monday morning, address of welcome; the objects of the convention; the Sunday school treatise; Sunday school teacher's meeting; how to reach delinquent scholars.
"Monday afternoon, subjects: How to best maintain order in the school; how to use the Leaflets; the use of the Nickel Fund: home reading in connection with the Sunday school.
"Monday evening, how to grade the Sunday school; the relationship of the Church to the Sunday school; the Sunday school as an auxiliary to the home; the home as an auxiliary to the Sunday school.
"Tuesday morning. Kindergarten and infant classes in the Sunday school; punctuality—how best secured; the Sunday school superintendent; the Sunday school teacher.
On Tuesday afternoon, Sunday school choirs and their relationship to congregational singing; lesson on the presentation of the authorities; how to conduct Stake Sunday school conferences; the program for 1899 Stake conferences.
"Tuesday evening, how best to prepare a Sunday school lesson; the Bible in the Sunday school; the Book of Mormon in the Sunday school; the administration of the Sacrament in the schools. Each meeting to be opened by a half hour's singing practice of such songs as will be recommended to be sung at the 1899 Sunday school conferences, and such to be closed by remarks from the general superintendent and his assistants, as we may wish.
"Now these subjects we would like to have treated upon. If the committee can sec- where some improvements can be made in this, of course I shall be in favor of their having latitude to change or to suggest additional subjects."
Elder Seymour B. Young moved that the suggestions be adopted by this meeting. Carried. General Superintendent George Q. Cannon then appointed Elders George Reynolds, Joseph W. Summerhays and George D. Pyper as the committee to arrange the details of the convention and take charge of the preparatory work.
Continuing General Superintendent Cannon said: "I would like you to take hold of this energetically and let us have something that will be creditable and interesting, that all who attend may go away instructed and infused with rife and with a determination to lift the Sunday school and make it what it should be. This committee can take the necessary steps to invite such persons or brethren and sisters from afar as they may deem proper; but it is a general invitation and we would like you all to come, and we will do the best that can be done to entertain you, and give you a chance to teach us in our wards. Give us your ideas and tell us what you do, so that we may get a mutual benefit in mingling together in that manner.
"I may say that Brother Heber J. Grant's remarks about the nickel fund are in strict accord with my feelings. I do not want our Sunday schools to become begging institutions, or to become burdensome to our children. Do not make the poor children who cannot give the nickel feel badly. Avoid that, because the feelings of children are very delicate. We should not do anything that would make them feel that they are inferior in any way to anybody else. I hope that what has been said will be remembered by all the teachers and superintendents."
Second Assistant Karl G. Maeser said:
"Members of the Sunday School Union board have occasionally visited annual Sunday school conferences when they have felt disappointed in some measure in not getting that kind of information regarding the condition of the Sunday schools, which they desired, and I have been requested, therefore, to speak in regard to the way and manner in which the Sunday school conferences should be conducted. Now, the nature and object of an annual Sunday school Stake conference is three fold. The first object is to present to all the Sunday schools in that stake pattern and model exercises. Upon this subject I need not speak now. I refer to the instructions that were given upon this point at the last April Conference, when we met here. The second point or object of our annual Sunday school Stake conference is to give the visiting' members of the Sunday School Union Board an opportunity to obtain as much information in regard to the condition of the Sunday schools in the Stake as time and circumstances will permit. That can be obtained in two ways: These visiting members of the Sunday School Union Board witness the class exercises, according to the instructions given upon that subject at the last April Conference. These are the best class exercises upon the various subjects that have been selected by the Stake superintendency—the best class exercises that can be found in the Stake. That gives the visiting brethren the opportunity of seeing the condition, or judging of the condition of the Sunday schools. Eight class exercises of the best kind should be given two on Saturday morning and afternoon; two Sunday morning; two on Sunday afternoon. Then there is always something from a primary, first intermediate, second intermediate, and theological, class, and concert recitations of some kind; the next point at which we can get our information about the conditions of the Sunday schools comes from the reports of the superintendents of the different schools.. The Sunday School Union Board have drawn up twenty-one points upon which they would like to have answers given. A copy of this will be sent to every Sunday school superintendent throughout Zion. Each superintendent should prepare himself for this and not come up and talk a 'goody goody' talk for five or six minutes or more and then sit 'down without saying anything about his Sunday school. This Is the second point that gives us necessary information in regard to the condition of the Sunday school. The third point is to give the visiting members of the Sunday School Union Board an opportunity to give instructions. These instructions are based upon the answers which the superintendents give in reporting their Sunday schools. The Sunday School Union members will note conditions and the different points, based upon the observations which they have found and made during the class exercises, which is the second point upon which we can base our instructions. The third is the questions which should be handed in by Sunday school officers and teachers, questions which have arisen on Sunday school work and the principles of the Gospel, which are expected to be taught in the Sunday schools. Suppose, now, we get six of these questions in every one of these meetings, then we have twenty-four questions handed in during the conference, twenty-four important Sunday school points under consideration. And if there is any point that we may not have the authority or capacity to answer, we will take it home and report it to the Sunday School Union Board, where it will be disposed of; and if the board has not the authority to answer it, our general superintendent, George Q. Cannon, is a member of the First Presidency, and there we can get it from the fountainhead, and you get your answer in due time.
"And then the next point that I would like to have called your attention is, that it Is not our mission to talk merely to the comparatively few Sunday school workers that are attending our annual Sunday school Stake conferences. It is not very likely that we shall have all the officers and teachers of the whole Stake present, but we want to reach them all. We are not coming merely to make some talk, to say some nice things, etc., and then go home again. When we come it is for the purpose of putting questions, so to speak, alongside the Sunday school work, how it should be conducted, so that when we come around again another year, all these points will have been carried out, at least as nearly as possible, and then new questions can be put, because the Sunday school work is advancing and progressing. Think of what it was twenty or thirty years ago and compare it with today! There is no standing still, we are going onward continually. Now it is impossible for every one of us to remember all the points that have been brought up during a conference. The board, therefore, desires that all the officers and teachers should come prepared with paper and pencil and let us see you caking notes, as we see now in this and in every semi-annual conference, and then the following Sunday throughout the whole Stake there should be a special teachers' meeting held, for the benefit of those that have not had the privilege of attending the Stake conference. And these points that have been made during the conference should be brought before that teachers' meeting and explained there while they are still fresh upon the minds of those who were present; but if you wait three or four weeks before you do so, you forget your notes and the instructions will measurably fade from your minds. Therefore, care should be taken that superintendents remind the officers and teachers before the conference comes off, that they may come prepared, so that those who are present may take down all the important points, and afterwards bring them to the knowledge of all their fellow laborers throughout the Stake, and thus the work of the Sunday schools may go on for another year, better and better, always onward and nearer to God our Eternal Father, and benefitting the youth whom God has placed into our keeping."
Prof. Bassett's juvenile class then beautifully sang "In May."
"Members of the Sunday School Union board have occasionally visited annual Sunday school conferences when they have felt disappointed in some measure in not getting that kind of information regarding the condition of the Sunday schools, which they desired, and I have been requested, therefore, to speak in regard to the way and manner in which the Sunday school conferences should be conducted. Now, the nature and object of an annual Sunday school Stake conference is three fold. The first object is to present to all the Sunday schools in that stake pattern and model exercises. Upon this subject I need not speak now. I refer to the instructions that were given upon this point at the last April Conference, when we met here. The second point or object of our annual Sunday school Stake conference is to give the visiting' members of the Sunday School Union Board an opportunity to obtain as much information in regard to the condition of the Sunday schools in the Stake as time and circumstances will permit. That can be obtained in two ways: These visiting members of the Sunday School Union Board witness the class exercises, according to the instructions given upon that subject at the last April Conference. These are the best class exercises upon the various subjects that have been selected by the Stake superintendency—the best class exercises that can be found in the Stake. That gives the visiting brethren the opportunity of seeing the condition, or judging of the condition of the Sunday schools. Eight class exercises of the best kind should be given two on Saturday morning and afternoon; two Sunday morning; two on Sunday afternoon. Then there is always something from a primary, first intermediate, second intermediate, and theological, class, and concert recitations of some kind; the next point at which we can get our information about the conditions of the Sunday schools comes from the reports of the superintendents of the different schools.. The Sunday School Union Board have drawn up twenty-one points upon which they would like to have answers given. A copy of this will be sent to every Sunday school superintendent throughout Zion. Each superintendent should prepare himself for this and not come up and talk a 'goody goody' talk for five or six minutes or more and then sit 'down without saying anything about his Sunday school. This Is the second point that gives us necessary information in regard to the condition of the Sunday school. The third point is to give the visiting members of the Sunday School Union Board an opportunity to give instructions. These instructions are based upon the answers which the superintendents give in reporting their Sunday schools. The Sunday School Union members will note conditions and the different points, based upon the observations which they have found and made during the class exercises, which is the second point upon which we can base our instructions. The third is the questions which should be handed in by Sunday school officers and teachers, questions which have arisen on Sunday school work and the principles of the Gospel, which are expected to be taught in the Sunday schools. Suppose, now, we get six of these questions in every one of these meetings, then we have twenty-four questions handed in during the conference, twenty-four important Sunday school points under consideration. And if there is any point that we may not have the authority or capacity to answer, we will take it home and report it to the Sunday School Union Board, where it will be disposed of; and if the board has not the authority to answer it, our general superintendent, George Q. Cannon, is a member of the First Presidency, and there we can get it from the fountainhead, and you get your answer in due time.
"And then the next point that I would like to have called your attention is, that it Is not our mission to talk merely to the comparatively few Sunday school workers that are attending our annual Sunday school Stake conferences. It is not very likely that we shall have all the officers and teachers of the whole Stake present, but we want to reach them all. We are not coming merely to make some talk, to say some nice things, etc., and then go home again. When we come it is for the purpose of putting questions, so to speak, alongside the Sunday school work, how it should be conducted, so that when we come around again another year, all these points will have been carried out, at least as nearly as possible, and then new questions can be put, because the Sunday school work is advancing and progressing. Think of what it was twenty or thirty years ago and compare it with today! There is no standing still, we are going onward continually. Now it is impossible for every one of us to remember all the points that have been brought up during a conference. The board, therefore, desires that all the officers and teachers should come prepared with paper and pencil and let us see you caking notes, as we see now in this and in every semi-annual conference, and then the following Sunday throughout the whole Stake there should be a special teachers' meeting held, for the benefit of those that have not had the privilege of attending the Stake conference. And these points that have been made during the conference should be brought before that teachers' meeting and explained there while they are still fresh upon the minds of those who were present; but if you wait three or four weeks before you do so, you forget your notes and the instructions will measurably fade from your minds. Therefore, care should be taken that superintendents remind the officers and teachers before the conference comes off, that they may come prepared, so that those who are present may take down all the important points, and afterwards bring them to the knowledge of all their fellow laborers throughout the Stake, and thus the work of the Sunday schools may go on for another year, better and better, always onward and nearer to God our Eternal Father, and benefitting the youth whom God has placed into our keeping."
Prof. Bassett's juvenile class then beautifully sang "In May."
Elder Joseph W. Summerhays said:
When the year 1899 shall have passed, fifty years will have elapsed since the first Sunday school was organized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and It has been proposed that we commemorate the event by holding a jubilee throughout the Church. It was intended that some final instructions would be given at this conference, but as the fifty years do not end until the second Sunday in December, there is plenty of time. The committee will make their final report at the next April conference, in the meantime, however, Sunday school superintendents throughout the Church are requested to forward to the general secretary, George D. Pyper, at an early date, the history of their organizations which will be entered up in suitable form for some future day. A history of every Sunday school and of every Stake organization is desired.
When the year 1899 shall have passed, fifty years will have elapsed since the first Sunday school was organized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and It has been proposed that we commemorate the event by holding a jubilee throughout the Church. It was intended that some final instructions would be given at this conference, but as the fifty years do not end until the second Sunday in December, there is plenty of time. The committee will make their final report at the next April conference, in the meantime, however, Sunday school superintendents throughout the Church are requested to forward to the general secretary, George D. Pyper, at an early date, the history of their organizations which will be entered up in suitable form for some future day. A history of every Sunday school and of every Stake organization is desired.
Elder Joseph M. Tanner said:
It very frequently happens that buildings are not sufficiently warm and the little Sunday school children suffer from cold and sometimes contract diseases. He had had sufficient opportunity to observe this imperfect condition in providing for the convenience and comfort of our children. If the janitor is ever in doubt as to the necessity of warming the rooms, that doubt should be resolved in favor of the children and the buildings be warmed. He hoped that superintendents would give it their attention, and see that as the cold season comes on the buildings are properly warmed. In the winter time when the cold is severe, there is but little trouble, but it is during the fall and spring of the year when they think they can get along without fire, that the children suffer most.
It very frequently happens that buildings are not sufficiently warm and the little Sunday school children suffer from cold and sometimes contract diseases. He had had sufficient opportunity to observe this imperfect condition in providing for the convenience and comfort of our children. If the janitor is ever in doubt as to the necessity of warming the rooms, that doubt should be resolved in favor of the children and the buildings be warmed. He hoped that superintendents would give it their attention, and see that as the cold season comes on the buildings are properly warmed. In the winter time when the cold is severe, there is but little trouble, but it is during the fall and spring of the year when they think they can get along without fire, that the children suffer most.
First Assistant Superintendent George Goddard
said he felt very thankful to the many Stake superintendents. Many of them had very hard work to perform, many miles to travel away from their homes almost every Sunday in the year, visiting throughout their entire Stakes. "God bless those men and every other honest, enthusiastic worker in our schools, is my prayer In the name of Jesus. Amen."
Professor Stephens' juvenile class then sang, "Courage Shall Our Watchword Be," so beautifully that it had to be repeated. The class also repeated "We Ever Pray for Thee."
The conference then closed, Elder Seymour B. Young pronouncing the benediction.
GEORGE D. PYPER,
General Secretary.
said he felt very thankful to the many Stake superintendents. Many of them had very hard work to perform, many miles to travel away from their homes almost every Sunday in the year, visiting throughout their entire Stakes. "God bless those men and every other honest, enthusiastic worker in our schools, is my prayer In the name of Jesus. Amen."
Professor Stephens' juvenile class then sang, "Courage Shall Our Watchword Be," so beautifully that it had to be repeated. The class also repeated "We Ever Pray for Thee."
The conference then closed, Elder Seymour B. Young pronouncing the benediction.
GEORGE D. PYPER,
General Secretary.