Fiftieth Annual Conference of the Chruch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

April 1880
TWO DAYS' MEETINGS IN THE SALT LAKE ASSEMBLY HALL IN accordance with previous announcements, meetings were held in the Assembly Hall on Sunday and Monday, April 4th and 5th, preparatory to the General Conference to be convened in the Large Tabernacle. At an early hour the Saints began to assemble, and by 10 o'clock a.m., the time for opening the services, the new and elegant building was filled, and soon after was crowded in every part.

FIRST PRIOR MORNING MEETING

The congregation was called to order by President JOHN TAYLOR, and after singing by the Tabernacle choir, prayer was offered by Elder MOSES THATCHER.

PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR

I am happy to have the privilege of meeting with the Saints in this new hall. It is not quite finished, but yet it is so far comfortable that we can have an opportunity of meeting and conferring together. When the building is fully completed -- the organ and everything in its proper place -- we shall then have it dedicated, as is our custom, to the Lord our God, for the purpose of meeting here and attending to whatever may be required. As the 6th of April falls on next Tuesday, we thought it better to have a two days' meeting before hand, that we might have an opportunity of listening to the principles that will be presented by our brethren, the Twelve and others, and we are in hopes that on the 6th day of April we shall be able to meet in the large Tabernacle, which will accommodate all who may desire to attend. And while we are assembled together in the capacity of a Conference, it is proper that our hearts and feelings and affections should be turned to God, that we may reflect upon his kindness, his mercy and salvation extended to us as a people; that we may also reflect upon our weaknesses, our infirmities, our follies and our foibles, and be enabled to lay them aside,

feeling that we are the Saints of God, with responsibilities to attend to; and that it is our duty and our delight to listen to and be governed by those great principles which God has revealed for the salvation of the human family. On the 6th day of April the church will have been organized fifty years, and we might with very good propriety call it a year of jubilee, or rather the close of the year of jubilee. And while we are assembled together, either in our meeting. prior to the Conference or afterwards in the Conference, it becomes us, when we reflect upon the kindness and mercy which God has vouchsafed to us during the last fifty years, to renew our covenants before him, and feel in our hearts that we are his people and that he is our God. His mercy and salvation will still be extended to us, if we will only obey his laws, keep his commandments, and pursue that course that is proper and acceptable in his sight. I do not wish to make many remarks this morning. I thought I would just rise and introduce some of those principles that naturally tend to bring our minds to reflection. On the fiftieth year, in former times, among the ancients, they had what was termed a year of jubilee. Slaves were liberated. People who were in debt were forgiven their indebtedness -- that is, the poor, the needy and the distressed. And we are reflecting upon some things pertaining to that matter, which will be presented in due form; and we wish to start, as it were, and feel to determine in our hearts that the Lord is our God, the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Law-giver, and he shall rule over us; and we will try and be his people and observe his laws. And I would ask my brethren and sisters to give us an interest in their faith and prayers, that we shall be enabled to advance such principles as will be calculated to enlighten, to quicken, to refresh and to strengthen us, that we may pursue in after years, with more vigor and determination, that path which God has revealed unto us. Amen.

ELDER WILFORD WOODRUFF

President, brethren and sisters: God bless you, (Amen), and may the peace of God abide with you, and the Spirit of God within these walls, and may it rest upon the Apostles, Elders and Saints while we assemble together to worship God. I feel in my heart to praise the Lord for his mercies and blessings over the Apostles and Elders and Saints and church and kingdom of God to the present hour. I see before me here the symbols of the history of this church and kingdom, and some of us have been preserved by the hand of God to pass through its travels, its progress and its history almost from the beginning until the present day; and while I listened to the remarks of Brother Taylor, I reflected in my own mind upon the day and age and time of our history. Fifty years have passed and gone, or nearly so, since the organization of this church and kingdom on the earth. Whatever the feelings of the world may be with regard to the Latter-day Saints, with regard to their lives, their history, their

organization, their persecutions, and their drivings until the present day, whether they believe or disbelieve, it matters not to the purposes of God, who stands at the head, even our Heavenly Father. This is the church and kingdom of God; it is the church of Christ; it is the organization of the kingdom of God, that has been spoken of by all the prophets since the world began; it is the Zion of God that Isaiah and Jeremiah and many of the other prophets saw by vision and revelation in their day and generation. In my own mind I cannot conceive of any fifty years since the creation of this world, in its history before the heavens, before the Gods, before the angels, and before the world, of more importance or consequence than the last fifty years through which we have passed; and if the vail could only be lifted from our eyes, so that we could see and comprehend our destiny, our position, our responsibilities, and what is required at our hands by the God of Israel, we should all of us feel the importance of improving our time, magnifying our calling, striving to live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God. I hold in my hand our testament. The testator is dead, has been dead for a great many years. He sealed his testimony with his blood. That testament is in force, has been in force upon all the world from the day of his death; and not only from that day, but from the time these revelations were given to the inhabitants of the earth. That testament contains a volume of the most important revelations God ever gave to man. Fifty years ago, or nearly so, when He gave some of these revelations, the Lord said to Joseph Smith, "If you believe my words you will go and prune my vineyard while the day lasts; If you believe these revelations I have given you, you will take hold and build up this kingdom." When I reflect that it is fifty years since these revelations were given, I ask myself the question -- What condition are we in to-day as a people, as Latter-day Saints? What is our condition, our position to-day before the Lord? What is the condition of the world? What is the condition of Great Babylon? What is the condition of the Saints, the Elders of Israel, and the Lord's anointed, and the people whom he has chosen and called upon and raised up to take hold and build up Zion, build up the kingdom, sanctify themselves before God and prepare themselves for the coming of the Son of man? I have sometimes feared in my own mind concerning ourselves, that we are not living as near to the Lord as we ought to do; we do not always comprehend the responsibilities which we are under to God our Heavenly Father. When I reflect, my brethren and sisters, that the Lord has ordained the establishment of Zion, upon the responsibility that rests upon us in warning the generation in which we live that they may be left without excuse in fulfilment of the revelations contained in this volume (the Book of Mormon) -when I reflect that we are called as the servants of the Lord to perform this work, I feel within my own mind as the Lord has said now nearly fifty years ago, that if we believe the words of the Lord we will labor while it is called to-day. The Lord looks to nobody else, he expects nothing from anybody else, as far as the fulfilling of the revelations in the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants are concerned; he looks to no other nation, kindred, tongue, or people henceforth to go and perform this work, but the Saints of the living God. If the Lord has any friends on the earth they are the Saints of God, and if the Saints of God have any friends anywhere, they consist of the God of Israel and the heavenly hosts, and the spirits of just men made perfect.

In my view, we as Latter-day Saints are approaching a change. We are approaching important events. It cannot be otherwise in the face of the revelations of God, in the Bible, in the Testament, in the Doctrine and Covenants, than that a change is about to take place in the world. The Lord has said that he would make the work short in the latter days, that he would cut it short in righteousness. Fifty years is a good while to pass away in the dispensation and generation in which we live, and it has taken from the earth during this time a great many, I will say all of the founders of this church and kingdom. It has taken into the spirit world many of the Apostles, many of the Elders, many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, and sometimes when I look around and contemplate on the past, I at times feel lonesome. I look back to the clays of Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, and to the patriarchs, prophets and apostles that lived in that day, and I find that a great share of them are in the spirit world. There are but very few left now who were alive at the organization of this church upon the earth. I believe that Brother Orson Pratt is the only man who dwells in the flesh, who is in the church, who was organized in the first Quorum of the Twelve. Brother Taylor and myself remain of those who were organized in the second organization. But Brother Taylor and myself and Brother Pratt and a good many others will not tarry a great while here. We shall pass on to the other side of the vail, and join those who have gone before, as will many who are in this congregation. This is not our home, but we will dwell in the flesh until we pass through a change. We are apt sometimes in our reflections to marvel and wonder why the Lord has taken away so many men who have been called as Apostles and prophets and Elders of the Zion of God into the spirit world. The Lord has had his motive in these things. I see (pointing to the paintings on the ceiling) Joseph Smith with Moroni, and here, with Peter, James and John, receiving the priesthood. How long did he (Joseph) tarry here in the flesh? Only fourteen years after he organized this church and kingdom, the church and kingdom of God, the church of Jesus Christ. We felt as though we could not live, could not exist, without Joseph. We felt a good deal as the Apostles did when Jesus told his disciples that if he did not go away the Comforter would not come. They did not comprehend him; they did not understand that Jesus Christ was to be crucified, notwithstanding that he told them that if he did not go away the Comforter would not come. Joseph Smith remained with us longer than the Savior did. He remained only about three and a half years after he was thirty years of age, an age which the Jewish law required a man to attain before officiating in the priesthood. Joseph Smith remained with us about fourteen years. He remained until he had received all the keys of the kingdom of God which were necessary for the establishment of this church and kingdom, and which were necessary for those men who followed him to have those keys upon their shoulders, that they might continue to build upon the foundation that had been laid; but as soon as Joseph received the keys of the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthood, as soon as he received the keys from Moses for the gathering together of the House of Israel in the latter days, and from Elijah to seal the hearts of the fathers to the children and children to the fathers -- when Joseph received all these keys, and had power to seal them upon the heads of other men, the Lord called him away. Why did he call him into the spirit world? Because he held the keys of this dispensation, not only before he came to this world and while he was in the flesh, but he would hold them throughout the endless ages of eternity. He

held the keys of past generations -- of the millions of people who dwelt on the earth in the fifty generations that had passed and gone who had not the law of the gospel, who never saw a prophet, never saw an Apostle, never heard the voice of any man who was inspired of God and had power to teach them the gospel of Christ, and to organize the church of Christ on earth. He went to unlock the prison doors to these people as far as they would receive his testimony, and the Saints of God who dwell in the flesh will build temples unto the name of the Lord, and enter these temples and perform certain ordinances for the redemption of the dead. This was the work of Joseph the prophet in the spirit world. Now, I believe in my own mind that every Elder of Israel who has gone into the spirit world, who has been faithful in the flesh, has as much to do on the other side of the vail as we have to do here, and if anything more so. This is my view with regard to the labors of the Elders of Israel. The Lord hath need of some on the other side of the vail. He preserves some to labor here, and he takes home whom he will according to the counsels of his own will; this is his manner of dealing. Those of our brethren who have passed away have got through the labors of the flesh; we are left here to labor a little while on the earth. Then I would like to ask my brethren and sisters this morning in view of these things, if these things are true, if this is the church of Christ, if this is the Zion of God -- which the Lord Almighty foreordained before the world was should be established in the latter days, and had a class of men and women whom he had reserved in the spirit world, whose lives were hid with Christ in God and knew it not, to come forth and stand in the flesh and take hold of this kingdom and build it up, and war with the world, the flesh and the devil -- then, if this be true, what manner of men and women ought we to be? I feel in my reflections, in my thoughts and in my meditations, that we, as Elders of Israel, should have nothing else to do in this world while we dwell in the flesh but to build up this kingdom, and when we are building up this kingdom we are building up ourselves; when we are faithful to God we are magnifying our calling. The eyes of the heavenly hosts are over us; the eyes of God himself and his Son Jesus Christ; the eyes of all the prophets and Apostles who have dwelt in the flesh; they are watching our works. I have spent more time lately with those who are in the spirit world, in my night seasons, than in all the rest of my life together. On one occasion I thought in my dream that Presidents Young, Kimball, George A. Smith, and many others, attended one of our Conferences. When Brother Young was asked to preach he said: "No, I have done my preaching, I have done my instructions in the flesh; I have come to hear you talk, I have come to look at you, I have come to watch over you, I wish to see what this people are doing." This has been the answer and these are thoughts I believe in. I believe we are not shut out from God, we are not shut out from our brethren, though the vail is between us. They understand our works, our condition, our position, and I feel a desire myself, what little time I have to spend in the flesh, to make my time useful. I wish to do what I can for the building up of the kingdom of God. I wish to do what I can to bring to pass righteousness, and I feel that we should all be in this position; we should all labor to occupy our time, our talents, and our attention as far as we possibly can to build up the kingdom of God. I wish to say to the Latter-day Saints. Sometimes people apostatize; we speak of

people getting into the dark. It does not make any difference who sells whiskey, nor who drinks it; it makes no difference who blasphemes the name of God, or apostatizes from the church and kingdom of God, as far as the establishment of the kingdom of God is concerned; the Lord has got valiant men and women in his kingdom who will be true and faithful to the Lord and his work. If half of this church were to fall away, it would not destroy the purposes of the Lord. With regard to ourselves that is another thing. Many men who have received the gospel, and have had the Holy Ghost conferred upon them, have fallen away, but in doing so they condemn themselves, they destroy themselves, they miss and lose all the hopes they ever had of eternal life and the blessings of God in the celestial kingdom. Men may fall, but the kingdom of God never, never. The Lord has a good many men and women in this church and kingdom that cannot afford to surrender any principle that the God of Israel has commanded us to obey, no principle that the Lord has commanded us to receive, no principle that is embodied in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Why? Because we know and understand very well that our destiny, our position, and our blessings are all in his hands. We also know that the destinies of all the armies of the nations of the earth under the whole heavens are in the hands of God. The Lord guides these things; he will guide them. We are approaching an important day and time. We are approaching a period when there must be a change in Babylon, a change in our nation, and a change in Zion. Judgments are going to begin at the house of God. They will go forth, and will not be taken from the earth until all has been fulfilled. My brethren and sisters, I wished to say this much this morning. I desired to exhort you, and I exhort myself. Let us watch and be sober. Let us keep the commandments of God. Let us labor for the Holy Spirit, for without this no man can serve God. What condition is the world in? To-day the world is a great way from the Lord, and they are getting a great way further off year by year, and just so far as they get from the Lord in this world, just so far off will they be in the world to come. Bear this in mind. I do think that as Elders in Israel we have no reason to be discouraged. God is with us. God is with this people. He is watching over our interests. He guides and directs our destiny, and you may took back and scan the history of this church and kingdom from the days of its organization, and you will find it has never gone backward, it has gone forward all the way through, year by year, no matter the difficulties thrown in our way. We have had persecution and oppression; we were driven from one place to another for many years, until we were driven into these Rocky Mountains, to the land given to Jacob and his posterity, the land preserved for the gathering of the Saints in the latter days. When I look at this assembly and contemplate the work of this people in these valleys and in the surrounding Territories; when I perceive how this desert is occupied, how the Latter-day Saints are progressing, how they are cultivating the earth, building temples, halls, tabernacles, schoolhouses, towns and villages, I marvel at the work of the Lord. This is the work of the Almighty, and when our enemies look for the stoppage of this work, for the stoppage of the progress of the Latter-day Saints, they will be disappointed, because these things are in the hands of the Lord, and no power can hinder their progress.

I rejoice in having the privilege of meeting with an assembly of the Saints of God in Salt Lake City, and especially in such a good building as this. It is a credit to the Latter-day Saints. It is an ornament to this Temple Block, and an honor to those who have helped to build it. We must continue these things. We must go forward, not backward. We have this fine temple which we are building at the present time, and there are others being erected in other parts of the Territory, that the Latter-day Saints may enter these temples of our God and attend to the ordinances for the redemption of the living and the dead. I bear testimony to you, my brethren and sisters, the whole spirit world is watching your labor and your works, and as I said in the beginning, if the vail was taken from off our eyes, we would see the responsibility of our acts, and what would be the result of these things? We would labor diligently and do all we could for the rearing of these temples for the redemption of our dead; we would sanctify ourselves and keep the Word of Wisdom, and unite ourselves together according to the law of God. There are many things we do as Latter-day Saints that we should abstain from; we should see the importance of our laboring in the flesh to build up the Zion of God. I have spent the last year of my life on a mission. I have been traveling with our southern brethren; spent some time in the temple; been through Arizona, where the brethren and sisters are living in the United Order. I will say that I have been pleased with my visit to the southern country. In many of our settlements the people are endeavoring to keep the commandments of God, uniting together according to the order of the kingdom of God; and I will say here that from my experience among them I am pleased with the result, I am pleased with the fruits manifested by the people, and you know we judge a tree by the fruit it bears. I made my home in Sunset when I was not traveling. The people there are living in the United Order, as also in Brigham City and St. Joseph, and while I was in those settlements I never heard an oath, I never saw a quarrel, I never saw any man or boy smoke a cigarette, or use an ounce of tobacco, or drink whiskey, or drink a cup of coffee or tea, except what I drank myself. The idea of drinking coffee where nobody else was drinking it was a very poor example, I thought, for an Apostle; I therefore took, instead of coffee, water and milk, and have felt a great deal better. The promise is that those who keep the Word of Wisdom "shall run and not be weary, shall walk and not faint," and I can say I have enjoyed much better health than before. Another thing I wish to mention. Among this people, if you go to the herd-grounds, to the shepherds, those who herd the sheep and cattle, you never see any man with a pack of cards. Every man prays morning and night at least, and you will always find a book of Doctrine and Covenants, Spencer's Letters, Voice of Warning, or other good books. I speak of these things because they are manifestations of good fruit. God has blessed the people; they are living together in peace and unity, and there are many others who are blessed of the Lord in that land who are not altogether carrying out these principles. But I do think the Lord requires of us to unite together. I think it is our duly to co-operate together and help bring about temperance, holiness and righteousness. I spent a good deal of my time last season in visiting our Lamanite brethren, the

American Indians, and I will here remark that while in Apache County I learned it was reported that the Mormons were accused of having supplied arms to the Utes who have been at war with the whites, and that we urged them on to fight. A greater libel than this was never perpetrated. The Latter-day Saints have done more to bring the American Indians to peace than all the efforts of the United States put together. Until the Elders of Israel went among the Indians no man's life was safe, no matter who he was: but since we have been amongst them they are the friends of the white man; they are peaceable; many of them have turned their hearts to the cultivation of the earth, and to-day many tribes of them will not steal the cattle and the horses of the white men. We have become acquainted with many of the tribes in that part of the country. We have had many opportunities of becoming acquainted with both the Navajos and Apaches, who have been wandering, warlike tribes, and no white man's life or scalp was safe with them until the "Mormon" Elders went among them and taught them the gospel and peace and the benefits of cultivating the earth. Now any white man can go among them in safety, if he will behave himself, attend to his own business, and not interfere with the families of the Indians. This will apply to the Navajos and Apaches, with the exception of a remnant of Apaches who are not under the control of Petrone and Pedro, the war and peace chiefs. This remnant, under Vutone, is still on the war path. The Navajos return to the whites any strayed or stolen horses or cattle. The Navajos visit the "Mormon" settlements in peace, where they are fed and treated kindly, taught to cultivate the earth, and instructed in the principles of peace and to prevent war. We have visited the Oribas, Moquis, Zunis, Lagoonis, and Islatas. All live in villages, the houses of which are made of stone, laid in mortar, and are from one to four stories high, with flat roofs. They and their forefathers have occupied these villages for generations. They are all peaceable Indians, and all wish to avoid war. The Oribas and Moquis occupy seven villages, built upon the top of solid, barren rocks, from 500 to 1500 feet nearly perpendicular, with no soil upon the rocks. The last three villages we visited stand upon a barren rock, one mile long, 100 yards wide at the top, and about 1500 feet high. The three villages stand upon the south end of the rock, from 200 to 300 yards apart, and number about 1500 people. Were it not for a sink in the rock of about 200 feet, with a steep serpentine trail and stone steps, no mortal being could reach those villages, only in a balloon. The natives have no tradition who built the villages, but they have been occupied for centuries, and were located in their romantic situation evidently for the purpose of protection from the Navajos, the traditional enemies of the Moquis, and also from other enemies, who would rob them of their horses, asses, sheep and goats whenever an opportunity presented itself, until the "Mormons" made peace between the contending parties, and now they are on friendly terms. The Moquis have a thousand or more acres of corn, beans, melons, squashes, and peach orchards planted in the' sand on the earth below them, where they raise good corn, from pure white to jet black, without irrigation. The black corn is the best. Every pound of water, wood and corn, and everything they subsist upon, has to be carried up the steep trail and stone steps some 1500 feet, on the backs of men, women and asses, as it is too steep for mules and horses. There is a projection on the east side of the mountain, 100 feet from the top, about 100 yards in length and twelve feet wide. By a trail in the side of the mountain the projection

is reached, and every night it is filled with thousands of sheep and goats, which are kept in by a frail stone wall about two feet high. Should an animal jump over, it would not touch ground for about 1200 feet, which would abridge its usefulness for either wool or mutton. The names of these three villages are -- first, Hano; second, Cheehomova; third, Walpe. The last named stands on the south end of the rock, and has about 1000 people. Their workshops stand flush with the outer edge of the precipice. Their dwellings stand from ten to twenty feet back from the edge, with nothing to keep men, women or children from falling off, either by day or night. Five Navajos were thrust off this precipice, several years ago, in a quarrel, and never struck ground for about 1500 feet. One Moquis chief and several children have fallen off at the same place and the only wonder is that half of the people of the village have not been killed in the same way. In my visit to these villages I was accompanied by Elders Lot Smith and Ira Hatch. The villages eastward are built upon slightly elevated pieces of ground, and are much better off than the Moquis. The Zunis, Lagoonis and Islatas, all have large cultivated fields. The Islatas are the most advanced in civilization and industry of any natives I ever visited. The village numbers 3000 inhabitants, and is located on the Rio del Norte, twelve miles below Albuquerque. When I visited the village the people thereof had large fields of corn, kept clear of weeds and well irrigated. They had also large apple, pear and peach orchards, besides twenty-one grape vineyards, with about 1000 vines in each, kept clean and loaded with fine fruit. Their houses were clean and neat and some of their floors were carpeted. Their blood has been kept pure, they being unmixed with other tribes, or with the Mexicans or any white men. The old patriarch, John King, the leading spirit of the place, said it was seldom a case of seduction or adultery had occurred among his people; and he said that death had always been the penalty for the crime. I saw one peculiar practice in Islata that I never saw in any civilized city. No man, woman, or child was permitted to sweep any dust or dirt from the floor to the sidewalk or into the street under penalty of a fine. All sweepings had to be gathered into baskets, or on blankets, at the threshold, and emptied upon one of the mounds located in different parts of the city. We occupied a house facing the public square. The largest mound in the city was near that location, and measured 140 yards in circumference and forty feet high, all gathered from sweepings of floors, probably for generations, as it did not appear that any had been carted away. It is expected that the railway will cross at Islata, there being the only rocky bed and shores for many miles up and down that river. The Islatas have their own laws, rules, regulations, courts, police, etc. They are a wealthy people, and stand at the head of many of the surrounding villages. They have

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traditions among them concerning their past and future history, which they are looking for the fulfilment of. Their record gives a history of their final restoration to civilization, industry, prosperity and the gospel of Christ, and their deliverance from oppression and war. This must be the future destiny of a remnant of them, or the promises of their forefathers must fall unfulfilled. Elders Ammon M. Tenney and -- Christophersen accompanied me on my visit to these villages. Brother Tenney, three years previous, had visited the inhabitants of these villages, and had formed an acquaintance with them and assisted in baptizing one hundred and fifteen of the Zunis. I feel to thank the Lord that I have lived to see this day and time; that I have lived to see the Fiftieth Anniversary of the history of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and brethren and sisters, whatever little time we have to spend let us spend it in laying aside iniquity, let us labor to build up the kingdom of God. Our position after death will depend upon the little time that we spend here in the flesh, and when I consider -- when I can get enough of the Spirit of the Lord to guide my mind to comprehend the blessings of life and salvation -- when I consider the great difference between being in the kingdom of God and out of it -- I think it will pay any man or woman to keep the commandments of God. Blessed is that people whose God is the Lord. The Latter-day Saints profess to make our Heavenly Father their God. I do not wish to detain my brethren and sisters any longer this morning. I rejoice again to see you, and again to walk the streets of Salt Lake City. And I hope while we are together in this Conference the Spirit of God may be with us, that our hearts may be enlightened, our minds opened to comprehend our duties, and that we will be inspired to teach the Saints of God in the path of righteousness and truth, which is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

ELDER MOSES THATCHER

I have been very much edified with the remarks to which we have listened. I feel that we are a blessed people in being privileged to meet and worship God under so favorable circumstances; and while listening to the remarks of my brethren it has been very apparent to my mind that God's kingdom is increasing, that the stakes of Zion are being extended and her cords lengthened. We are engaged in the work of God, our Heavenly Father. We are, as a people, in the enjoyment of privileges that are very great; indeed, we live in that day and age of the world to which the prophets anciently looked with joy and rejoicing. God's kingdom is being built up, never again to be thrown down nor given to another people. Whatever may be the reflections of the people of the world in regard to the Latter-day Saints, there is one fact that is apparent to them, and that is that we are growing, that we are increasing in numbers, that while our mission is "peace on earth and good will to men," the powers of God are being

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made manifest, and the principles of the Gospel are being preached to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. We have been seeking for years to extend this knowledge to the Lamanites, to the remnants of the House of Israel, to the fruit of the loins of Jacob through Joseph, but until recently it has been apparent to us that their hearts have not been opened to receive the testimony which is contained in the Book of Mormon. I have listened with much pleasure to the remarks of Elder Woodruff which we have heard this morning, in regard to the experience he has had in laboring among the people of Arizona and New Mexico, and it might be of some interest to the Latter-day Saints to have a short sketch of my experience during the time I have been absent. I have visited the capital of the Republic of Mexico for the purpose of preaching the gospel to the people there. We were courteously received, kindly treated, had the Spirit of God to be with us and the Lord to be our Friend; and notwithstanding the reports that have been circulated through the medium of the press, we feel that a good work, a great work, will be accomplished in the Republic of Mexico. More than one-half of the entire population are of the pure Indian stock, numbering, I believe, a little in excess of five millions. They are different in many respects flora the Indians who roam in these mountain regions, having at no time in their history, so far as we can trace it, been so steeped in ignorance, slothfulness and destitution as have been the Indians in this country. At the time they were subjugated by the Spaniards under Cortez, commencing in the year 1520, they were to some extent an enlightened race of people. They had a fair knowledge of the arts and sciences, and were particularly well versed in architecture; while their notation of time was quite equal to that of any nation then living. Their traditional history, as well as their written history, is very interesting, and had it not been for the disposition -- doubtless through ignorance -- of the Catholic priests who followed up the conquest, we might have had knowledge that would now be valuable to the world. But as Cortez bore down heavily upon the thirty millions of people who then lived in what was called Mexico proper, so the priests who followed his camp bore heavily upon their works of art, and particularly in the destruction of their libraries, which were burned in great heaps, while the poor Indians gathered round, and, gazing upon the destruction of their treasures, wept like children. But there has been enough preserved to bring forth remarkable historical evidence in confirmation of the truths contained in the Book of Mormon. There are many interesting things connected with these historical works that I might mention if I had time to do so, but at present I will simply say that their history clearly portrays that they had a full knowledge of the creation of the earth, of the garden of Eden, the deluge, the ark, the tower of Babel, the confusion of tongues, and their construction of eight boats in which to cross the great waters. They also had a knowledge of the birth, ministry and crucifixion of the Savior, and a person answering the description of the Son of Man was well known in their midst. He taught them the arts of peace, and all those higher elements of learning which the Aztecs were found in possession of at the time of the conquest. We find that preceding the conquest they were highly educated, highly instructed

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in the arts and in some of the sciences, and their forefathers had what was called a sacred book. An aged Indian, when asked in reference to this sacred book by one of the early Catholic priests, replied that it contained to some extent the knowledge that they, the priests, sought to teach them; and when asked where that book was, the Indian replied that they had a tradition which had come down from generation to generation that it was buried in the earth. But I do not wish to take up time this morning upon these points, but desire to speak of the Indians as we find them now. They are the laborers of Mexico. Where there are railroads constructed, they construct them. Where there are cities built, they build them. They are an industrious class of people, many of them being skillful artisans and mechanics. They are docile, slow to resent an injury, but will remember an act of injustice for a long time. They are true to their promises, quite different in this respect from many who claim a higher civilization. If you can secure their word and their friendship they will be true to you. It is very remarkable to notice in the general cast of their features the resemblance to the Jewish race, even more striking than we find it here among our Indians; and when crossed with the white or Spanish race, you would almost in every instance take them to be Jews. Thus, when I first arrived in the city of Mexico I observed to a gentleman, "You have a great many Jews here." "No," said he, "they are not Jews, they are Mexicans." They are a very polite people. The common Indian laborer on the street is as polite as almost any one you meet in this country. As to the educated class -- such as congressmen, judges, and members of the Cabinet, you invariably find them well informed. Most of them have traveled extensively, and many of them speak German, French and English, as well as Spanish. The educated portion of the Mexicans are not ignorant with reference to the history of the Latter-day Saints. They have traced them up from the day of the organization of the church. They are familiar with our wanderings, our drivings, and our persecutions. They are also familiar with the indomitable courage which has been exhibited by the Latter-day Saints in redeeming this barren waste, and as a prominent Mexican gentleman expressed himself to me -- "Why," said he, "you Mormon people have a poor country, and yet you seem to prosper, while we have a very rich country, but as a whole a very poor people." This I have no doubt is mainly attributable to the nature of the climate. For it has been observed that where God has done much for man, man does very little for himself. I believe this is the case to some extent in Mexico. The climate at the capital does not, it is said, vary more than 10 the year round. Thus they have there what you might call perpetual spring. The result is that the people lack enterprise, and therefore it would be a delight to the leading men of Mexico if a population composed of the Anglo-Saxon race could be induced to locate themselves in that country, in order to develop its latent resources, Because the undeveloped resources of Mexico are very great. The mines are not only numerous, but are rich. The land is also very productive, and is capable of growing anything you can name that can be produced in any other part of the world. We have no climate here to be compared with that of the Gulf Coasts of Mexico. I was down there on the 14th of December; the heat was certainly not comfortable; indeed, it was so intense that we felt we must at once change our clothing and assume lighter garments. But, on leaving the city of Vera Cruz about eleven o'clock in the evening, and in passing up to the tablelands, we found that in a few hours we required heavy overcoats in order to keep us comfortable. The valley of Mexico proper is 7400 feet above

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the level of the sea. Thus you can see the altitude is much greater than ours. Referring to our missionary experience there, I will say, when the article appeared in the New York Sun stating that we had gone to Mexico to arrange with the Mexican Government officials for the purchase of land for the colonization of our people of course it brought to us a great many inquiries, and while we had before desired that we might become acquainted with leading men and government officials, we had not up to that date had the privilege of doing so. But after the publication of this article, which was copied into the leading journals of the City of Mexico, we then had numerous callers, many having valuable tracts of land to sell, in which, as Colonel Sellers would say, "there's millions in it." Indeed, one man was anxious that we might secure twenty million acres; another, that we might secure an entire State; and they exhibited a good deal of anxiety that we might colonize in the Republic. But I told them we had no such mission, and that indeed if we had come to buy we had not yet seen sufficient of the country or people; adding that our mission was to preach, and to publish the word of the Lord to the people. Through the politeness of some of these gentlemen, we became acquainted with many influential officials and men of eminence, whose courtesy and kindness we shall not soon forget. We found on inquiry that the Mexican Constitution was much the same as our own; in some respects a little more liberal. It guarantees freedom of the press, of speech, and full religious toleration. It recognizes churches as no portion of the governmental power; while all are free to preach in their houses of worship, they are not free to perform religious ceremonies in the open streets, highways, or market places. The act prohibiting any manifestation of religious worship on the public highways and streets was caused to be passed by the late President, Juarez -- who was a pure-blooded Indian, there being not a drop of white blood in his veins. He was a great statesman and a thorough soldier. His name will pass down into history as being a great benefactor of his race and people. He was a liberal-minded man, whose heart beat for the highest human liberty. Being a foe to tyranny in every form, he traced the sufferings of Mexico very clearly, and comprehended that they were mainly traceable to the influence which the clergy exercised over the minds of the people. From this thraldom he labored with all his might to free his race, and sought to place them upon the solid basis of civil and religious liberty. Now the churches are entirely free to perform their ordinances within the walls of their buildings; but there was a time when, if a Catholic priest should happen to be moving along the street in his robes, the people were required to bow down. It was the oppression and not the rights of religious powers that Juarez sought to crush, and he succeeded. The second Judge of the Supreme Court of the Republic, who was for a number of years the leading man in the House of Representatives, predicted about ten years ago that the clergy in that land must be tolerant, and follow in the future, better than they had done in the past, the examples of the lowly Nazarene, or they would have to march Out of Mexico by thousands. That prediction -- although it may not have been looked upon as such at the time -- was noticed by some eminent writers, and has been literally fulfilled. The clergy have, as I have been informed, had to leave in great numbers. Nunneries have been abolished, and churches have been sold by hundreds, so that

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in the space of a few years $200,000,000 have been confiscated in this way. God has moved in the midst of the nation, and I believe a great work will be performed among the remnants of the House of Israel in that land. The power of God in the manifestation of their faith is greater perhaps than you will find among some of the Anglo-Saxon race. It is true, they have been under bondage for nearly 400 years. They may see the power of God made manifest to-day, in the healing of their infirmities, and to-morrow forget the blessings of the Lord. But in that respect wherein are they different from the children of Israel? Did they not witness the power of God in the separation of the waters of the Red Sea, and in various other ways? Did they not hear the voice of the Lord, and yet longed for the leeks and onions, and threatened to do evil to their leader, Moses? In this regard the Mexican people are much the same. They have ideas, ways and manners, peculiar to themselves. They are in their expressions very kind, and wherever we met influential men -- men connected with the Government of Mexico -- we met with uniform kindness. Our reception was warm and genuine, and we felt to bless such people. We believe that the Lord will yet open up the way by which thousands and hundreds of thousands will receive a knowledge of the truth. We have baptized some twenty in that land, and have a little branch already formed, and the manifestations of the power of God among them are not wanting. The second member baptized into the branch is an Indian. It is very clear that he is of the House of Israel. After he was ordained to the office of an Elder, he began to read, to some extent, our works. He was very much interested in the Book of Mormon, so far as it is published in the Spanish language, and he has full faith in the ordinances of the Gospel; One day a woman was found in the street suffering under the influence of an evil spirit, being sadly deranged. The police were seeking to allay her feelings and quiet her, while a great crowd was attracted by the occurrence. The Indian happened to be there at the time, and, perceiving what was the matter, made his way through the crowd to the woman, and in the name of Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, whereupon she was quieted, and, to the astonishment of the people, walked away without uttering another word. Before closing my remarks it might be somewhat interesting to the congregation to learn the cause which led to sending the Elders to the city of Mexico. I will tell you briefly how it occurred. There is a Dr. Rhodacanaty, who is, I believe, a Greek on the side of his father and a Mexican on the side of his mother. He had been engaged in a socialistic work, having for its object the benefitting of the poorer classes -- seeking to organize a system, in some respects like our co-operative system here, for the intelligent direction of labor, and, having used his influence in this direction for a short time, he became perplexed, and his mind seemed to close down, so that he could not see how to make further progress. He therefore felt to pray to the Lord to give him wisdom to proceed. During the night he dreamed that a person came and presented to him a book, pressing it emphatically upon his forehead. On the following day, while teaching his class in the college, wherein he was Greek Professor, a little boy entered and asked him to buy a book. "No," said he to the boy, "I do not want your book." "But," says the boy, "you do want this book, and it is only a riel" (twelve and a half cents). He told the boy again that he did not want the book, but the boy

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still insisted that he did, and finally he took it. When he came to read the book, it proved to be that part of the Book of Mormon which has been translated into the Spanish language. From this time he received light daily, and finally communicated with President Taylor, and the result was that the Elders were sent and the mission was opened in Mexico. I will relate another circumstance to show you how the wisdom of the Lord is greater than that of man. We became acquainted with Professor Sherwin, an American from the State of Iowa, who was also teaching in the Presbyterian College, and who frequently visited us at our rooms. When we had prepared the "Voice of Warning" in manuscript for publication he de_ sired that the Presbyterians should have a chance to bid for the printing of it. Elder Stewart told him that they would not print the work. "Why," said he, "they surely will not carry prejudice into business matters." "Well," replied Brother S., "to please you we will give them a chance to bid on the work, but I am satisfied that they will absolutely refuse to publish anything about 'Mormonism.'" He went to the printing establishment and offered the work. The young men who had charge of the printing office readily assented to bid upon the work, and asked until the next evening, in order that they might bid intelligently. In the meantime they submitted the matter to the head of the Presbyterian and other churches, (for there they work together -- Presbyterians, Baptists and Methodists), and when the matter was submitted to the Bishop, he scouted the very idea, and said we had not money enough to hire them to print our works: The young men were astonished, and desired to see us in reference to such prejudice. They came and we talked with them, saying that it was because of the ignorance of the world in reference to us and the principles we advocated, that caused much of the prejudice which existed in the minds of many who neither knew us nor the object of our mission. We pointed out to them different texts of Scripture, and read from the Bible for some length of time. After we had talked with them an hour or two they desired us to pray with them, to which we readily assented. Closing the door of our room, we gave these two young men a chance to pray; and they did so, asking the Lord, if they had been deceived all the days of their life, to manifest it and to impart to them a testimony as to whether we spoke by the power of the Holy Ghost or by the wisdom of man, and that they might know by revelation for themselves that Jesus was the Christ. We endorsed their prayer, and prayed the Almighty most earnestly that they might have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to understand the truth which we sought to impart. The last we heard of these two young men was that they were preaching "Mormonism," and were in a fair way to convert themselves if not others. As another instance of the hatred shown towards the "Mormons," I might mention that there was a young friend who crossed the Gulf of Mexico with us, being in company with the nephew of the American Minister, Mr. Foster, and who remained in Mexico with us several weeks. This young friend of ours met a Methodist Minister one day in the streets of Mexico, and happened to mention that there were "Mormon" missionaries in the city. "Oh, yes." said the devout Minister, "and I would to God that the American Government would drive all the "Mormons" into the bottom of the sea." I simply mention these matters to show how ungenerous and uncharitable are the feelings of many religious denominations, or the

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members thereof, towards us as a people. They may never have known a "Mormon," they may never have met one; they certainly have received no unkindness at the hands of our people, and they have never placed themselves in a position to receive the courtesies of the people. I believe that as a general thing where men, influential, intelligent and honest men, have visited Salt Lake City, or other parts of the Territory, they have almost invariably spoken kindly of the "Mormon" people. I of course except a certain class, namely, those who make it their mission to persecute, hate and despise us -- such men of course exhibit bitterness; deprive them of that and there would be little left of them. But the best thing we can do is to pass them by. In doing so I do not know that we can say in their case what the Lord said to the Jews, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." I fear many of them too well know what they do; but they have their mission, let them fill it. As an individual, I do not feel that we can afford to bestow much time or attention to what such may do or say. I learned one thing during my early boyhood, and that is that I cannot hate man and at the same time love God; therefore I pay little attention to what those evil disposed persons may do. They are in the hands of the Almighty, who will meet to them a just punishment. Let us pity rather than despise them. This I know, God will establish his Kingdom and carry it off victorious; he will redeem his people and make Zion to shine. But when I think of the benighted condition which the nations are in, it fills my heart with sorrow. I feel to thank God that he has placed in our hearts these compassionate feelings. To us he has been compassionate, and filled us with tender mercy. Therefore it becomes our duty as Elders to go to the ends of the earth to preach the Gospel. To the Lamanites? Yes; to every part of the habitable globe, to say to every people that we know that Jesus is the Christ, and he only can say this truthfully who has the spirit of prophecy upon him, because as it is written, "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Let us then make it the mission of our lives to preach the Gospel to the nations of the earth, to extend to them this knowledge which has made us so happy, and which has made us the people that we are. There will be a great work accomplished in Mexico. I feel that the Lamanites in that land will receive the Gospel by thousands. God will give them the power to heal the sick, unstop the eyes of the blind, and to open the ears of those that are deaf. He will manifest himself unto them as he did to their forefathers, the children of Israel. They have been downtrodden for more than three hundred years. They filled the cup of their iniquity, and thirty millions of them were killed off in about forty years. He permitted this to come upon them because of their iniquity and the sin of their fathers in slaying the prophets. The Spanish nation was once a great nation, but God has humbled them. In the work of death that nation filled a fearful mission among the Indians of Mexico and Peru, since when they have been treading the downward track. To-day what is Spain? A fallen, broken, Catholic ridden nation that cannot understand the whisperings of the Spirit of God. But the remnant of Israel will come forth and manifest that they have faith in their forefathers, who knew Jesus, and when their children hear his voice a stranger they will not follow.

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May God bless the mission in Mexico, and the poor Indians whom our own great nation has seemed determined to exterminate, but who will yet arise and prove to the world their worth. May God bless them to this end. We have no mission save that of peace. We do not go to teach them the art of war, although many of them are soldiers. You can frequently see the streets of Mexico crowded with well drilled Indian regiments, but our mission to them or others is not war, it is peace and good will to all. And may the Lord give us power to extend this to them, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen. The choir sang an anthem. Elder CHARLES C. RICH dismissed with prayer.

FIRST PRIOR AFTERNOON MEETING

In the afternoon the Hall was densely packed, and hundreds went away disappointed, not being able to enter the building. Singing by the choir. Prayer by Counselor DANIEL H. WELLS.

ELDER ORSON PRATT

It is many months since I attempted, except on one occasion, to address a public congregation. On account of ill health and other circumstances, I have refrained from public speaking, except at the former meeting held in this house last winter. I do not know whether I shall be able to raise my voice to that loudness that the congregation will be able to understand; I will, however, do the best that I can. I pray my Father in heaven to pour out his Spirit upon me, that what I may say -- whether it be a few words or many -- may be indited by the gift and inspiration of the Holy Ghost, without which all our preaching is in vain. I certainly, for one, was very much instructed in our forenoon meeting, especially in regard to the remarks of the first speaker on the fiftieth anniversary since the organization of this church; and I was also very much instructed in the remarks made by the following speaker. It is a great delight to me, as an individual, to look forth upon the large congregations of the Latter-day Saints who are assembled from time to time in these mountains, in the

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capacity of a General Conference. In all these assemblies and conferences I remember the early rise of this church; I remember when we were a small people when we could assemble ourselves in a very small room, and that in General Conference. I remember the first Conference that I attended, on the 2nd day of January, 1831, consisting perhaps of some seventy or eighty members in all, assembled in the house of Father Whitmer, whose sons were chosen to be especial witnesses in relation to this great latter-day work. I remember our trials, our difficulties, our gathering, our persecutions, our afflictions, more or legs, from that day until the present time. Then I was but a boy nineteen years of age; now I am over sixty-eight, and in a few months more fifty years will have passed over my head since I was first baptized into this church. How thankful I ought to be that I am still living. How thankful I ought to be that I am still numbered with this people. How thankful I ought to be that I have the opportunity and privilege of administering in your public congregations, preaching the words of eternal life, lifting up my voice in humble testimony concerning the great work which the Lord our God has been doing during the last fifty years. Among the ancient Jewish nation in the land of Palestine there was a law ordained in relation to the fiftieth year. Every fiftieth year was to be a peculiar year in the midst of that nation. There were many special times set apart by the Almighty, as times that were symbolical in their nature; times having reference to the future, among which was the cultivation of the earth for six years, and on the seventh year the land was made to rest. The tribes of Israel cultivated the soil, but they were required on the seventh year to let the whole land rest. I presume that the Lord had in view several things to be symbolized by these six years of labor and the resting on the seventh. This no doubt had a reference to the creation of the heavens and the earth, so that the Israelites might keep in remembrance the great work which was accomplished by the Lord our God in the beginning -- the formation or organization of the temporal heavens over our heads, and also of the earth upon which we stand. By resting on the seventh year from all their labors, they symbolized that which existed, or took place, when the seventh period or time came round in the creation. In six days, we are informed, this great work of creation was performed, at least so far as the spiritual portion thereof was concerned. On the seventh day, we are informed by new revelation, as well as instructed in part by old revelation, that the Lord rested. He did not commence resting, as some have supposed, on the sixth day evening, neither at midnight, nor early on the seventh day, because there was a certain work to be performed on the seventh day, which the Lord delayed until that time. On the seventh day the Lord formed the garden of Eden, planted the trees of that garden, laid out the work, beautified it, and also placed man in the garden, having formed his fleshly tabernacle, which was also the work of the morning of the seventh day, and he has informed us that on the morning of that day there was no flesh upon the earth except the man whom he had formed and placed in the garden. Yet all the children of men were created the day previous, or the period previous, called the sixth day, so that they all existed; but the Lord says "in heaven created I them." They were not created here upon the earth, but they were created in heaven; but on the seventh day man was placed here upon the earth, having a tabernacle of flesh and bones. So says the new translation, or that portion thereof contained in this book, called the "Pearl of Great Price." I have

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oftentimes thought, when reading these revelations, that they typified something; or that the Lord would not fully accomplish his work in six thousand years preparatory to the day of rest, but intended, on his part, to do something on the morning of the seventh thousand years, just as he did in the beginning. Was the spirit of man placed on the earth in a body of flesh and bones on the morning of the seventh day of the creation? He was. What was that typical of? Typical of the resurrection, when the righteous will again have fleshly tabernacles, formed, as in the beginning, out of the dust of the earth; when they will come forth from the grave with immortal bodies. These bodies will be flesh and bones, like unto the bodies of the first pair that were formed on the morning of the seventh day. Was the first man immortal? He was. Will those who shall be resurrected, or formed from the dust of the grave, in the morning of the seventh thousand years, also be immortal? They will; the one being typical of the other. Was there any curse upon the earth when the first man was permitted to occupy it with a body of flesh and bones? There was not. There was no death; indeed, man was "the first flesh upon the earth, the first man also." There were no beasts on the earth, no fowls to fly in the firmament of heaven, no fish to swim in the sea. But you may ask, how is this? Do we not read that on the fifth day God created great whales, fish of all kinds that could swim in the sea, &c. ? Yes. How was it, then, that there was no flesh on the earth, neither in the sea, on the seventh day till man was placed there? All that we need in reconciling the two chapters is to understand the two creations. Everything was created first spiritual. The fish that swim in the waters were first made spiritual. The fowls that fly in the open firmament of the heavens, that were created also on the fifth day, were made spiritual. Their spirits existed and were formed; but God saw proper that on the seventh day the first flesh that should be on the earth should be man. Afterwards, out of the ground the Lord God made the beasts of the field and every creeping thing, and cattle, and every beast after his kind; that is, in the beginning, the first pairs were formed and placed upon this new creation, not before, but after man was placed here. Is this typical of anything? Yes; typical of the resurrection of beasts as well as of man, according to the revelations contained here in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. Everything to which the Lord has granted life will be brought forth in its time and in its season, be resurrected, receive its body, and the spirits of beasts, and the spirits of fowls, and the spirits of fish and all animated beings will receive their bodies in the resurrection, and be made immortal, as they were on the morning of the seventh day; the one being typical of the other. This is one thing, no doubt, that the Lord intended to symbolize, in order to keep in remembrance before the minds of the children of Israel concerning that first great work of his, "firstly spiritual, and secondly temporal, which was the beginning of his work." Another thing intended to be typified by this seventh year, wherein the land was commanded to rest, was to show forth the future, to show forth the last of his work, which will be "firstly temporal and secondly spiritual," being the last of his work pertaining to this creation. But unto himself there is no beginning nor end of his works, neither to his words. Two great and important things were, therefore, symbolized by these ordinances which the children of Israel were required to observe throughout their generations, namely, the great future of this creation, commencing with the great temporal work in the morning of the

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seventh thousand years, wherein everything will be restored to its proper condition, as it was in the animal creation, with the fowls and fish and beasts, and man on the morning of the seventh day of creation. Prior to this time, or during this period of time, wherein this second temporal work will commence, there will be a literal sounding of seven trumpets, as recorded in the book of Doctrine and Covenants, page 278, electrotype edition, which you can read at your leisure. I will give you the words of the revelation, so that you can read it when you go home. It is called the "Key to the revelations given to St. John on Patmos." Joseph, inquiring of the Lord about the sounding of the seven trumpets, is informed that the sounding would take place, not directly near the close of the six thousand years, or rather not during the period of the six thousand years, but after the seventh thousand years should commence. He says that the sounding of the seven trumpets typifies this: "That as God made the world in six days, and on the seventh day he finished his work, and sanctified it, and also formed man out of the dust of the earth; even so, in the beginning of the seventh thousand years will the Lord God sanctify the earth and complete the salvation of man, and judge all things, and shall redeem all things, except that which he has not put into his power, when he shall have sealed all things, unto the end of all things; and the sounding of the trumpets of the seven angels are the preparing and finishing of his work, in the beginning of the seventh thousand years; the preparing of the way before the time of his coming." Thus we see, that as man in the beginning "was formed out of the dust of the earth" "on the seventh day," in his immortal state, so he shall be brought forth in the resurrection from the dust of the grave, on the morning of the seventh thousand years, by the sounding of these trumpets, to inherit certain blessings, even as it was promised in the beginning. We perceive, therefore, from the revelations of God, that the Lord instituted these ordinances and laws for the children of Israel for a double purpose, not only to commemorate the past, but to keep in the vivid remembrance of the children of Israel the great future, which they were never to lose sight of. Moreover, they were not only required, in the days of ancient Israel, to let their lands remain uncultivated in the seventh year, and to rest, but the Lord also, in order to doubly fix this idea upon their minds, established what is termed a year of Jubilee. After seven times seven years had passed away-that is, forty-nine years -- then came the fiftieth year, which seemed to be above all the rest, so far as the observance thereof was concerned, and so far as certain duties were required at their hands. It was to be a year of rest, a year of jubilee -- a year wherein all real estate that had been sold during the past fifty years was to return again to the original owners. They could not sell their lands as we sell ours; that was not permitted; no man could sell his land in that time for fifty-one, fifty-two, nor one hundred years, nor to the people and their heirs forever. No such thing existed in those days as now exist in this and among other nations; their lands could only be sold for fifty years; then came the year of redemption, wherein all lands that were sold were to return to their original owners, or to the tribe, or their descendants, as the case might be; it matters not who bought it or paid for it,

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that was always understood in the deed of sale. It was the custom in those ancient times to purchase individuals for a certain term of years, in consequence of debts, &c., that they may have contracted; they would buy the people, not exactly as hired servants, but they were compelled, according to the laws of the nation, to remain in servitude for a certain period of time; but that period never extended beyond the year of Jubilee. When that notable year came, all those handmaidens and servants that may have been sold in consequence of the debts that they had contracted, were to go free; all had the promise of liberty. It was a year of general release from bondage. There are a great many other privileges that might be named, set forth in the revelations of God, that existed in the year of Jubilee. Whether such a year will again be established by revelation, I do not certainly know; whether the Lord will command his servants to commemorate past events by the establishment of such a custom, in a time to come, is not fully revealed. It is revealed, however, in part, so that we may draw some conclusions from what has been revealed in ancient times. Moses says, by the word of the Lord, that when that people, Israel, should corrupt themselves before the heavens, and should do after the manner of the abominations of the heathen nations round about -- should forget the Lord their God, should bow down to the idols of the heathen nations, and turn away from the Lord, that he would send certain curses upon them, and among those curses they were to be scattered to the uttermost parts of the earth, &c., as mentioned in the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy. A long list of plagues is given that should follow them among all the nations whither they should be driven. After they had experienced all these things, Moses says: "When thou shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and shall obey his voice, according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thy heart and with all thy soul; that then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee. If any of thine be driven out unto the utmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: And the Lord thy God will bring thee unto the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it, and he will do thee good and multiply thee above thy fathers." Now, notice the conditions of this gathering: "And shall obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day." What were they commanded in that day? Among other things they were commanded to keep the year of Jubilee; to keep a great many other ordinances, such as the seventh year to let their land rest; also to keep certain feasts, such as the feast of tabernacles and the passover; and many other things, all of which were commanded in that day, and in that age, by the mouth of the servant of God, even Moses; when they should remember all these things, even every commandment, not neglecting one, then the Lord their God, should permit them to enjoy all the blessings of the promised land. I draw the conclusion, from this saying, that there will be a time when Israel shall return to their own lands, and that they will again keep the year of jubilee; I draw the conclusion that they will also offer up, as it is written in the Scriptures, offerings to the Lord; that they will keep all the commandments given unto them through the servant of Gods even Moses. How long these institutions, given to Moses, will be observed; how long they will be compelled or required to give heed to that which he commanded them, through Moses, I do not know. The time may come, when they prove to the Lord that they can keep those commandments and do his will -- the time may come when some of these

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ordinances may be done away. But because such events may happen among Israel in their great future, is no evidence that we, as Latter-day Saints, should institute any of these things among ourselves, unless we are directed by divine revelation from the heavens. I do not know that we are under any obligations to keep any of the ordinances, rites, and ceremonies, that were given in the days of Moses, unless we receive direct revelation for ourselves in relation to these matters. If the Lord should, at some future period of the history of this Church, see proper to give us a commandment to keep every fiftieth year sacred unto him, in order to commemorate certain events that took place in the past, I think that this people will be ready and willing to obey such a commandment. Among Israel, in ancient days, they had the law of plurality of marriage. Did we adopt that in this Church from these old, ancient commandments? No, we did not. Did that give us any authority in the least? No; the laws given to Moses have no bearing upon us, unless God should renew his commandments and laws to us as a people; for we profess, like Israel of old, to be under the direction and guidance of new revelation. Like the Church of God in all former ages, we receive no new ordinances, neither old ordinances, only by new revelation. Did we presume to baptize with water on the authority of old revelation? No. Did we presume to lay hands upon the people to confirm upon them the Holy Ghost, by the authority of ancient revelation? No. Did we presume to establish the Church of Jesus Christ, or organize it, about fifty years ago, because they established one eighteen hundred years ago and upwards? No. Did we presume to officiate in any order of the priesthood by virtue of any ancient revelation given to the ancient Saints? No. We did not undertake to do any of these things by virtue of former revelation; but all we have done in this Church has been done by direct communication and revelation from heaven; all the ordinances that we administer have been directed by new revelation; all the priesthood that this people hold this day was given by new revelation; all the various duties of the priesthood to be performed by us in our day were given by new revelation; and we would not dare presume to enter into this or that form of marriage, pertaining to plural matrimony, by any former revelation; it has been by new revelation that these things have been done. We say that this is the kingdom of God, established on the earth. We say that it was organized by divine revelation. We say that the authority was sent down from heaven and conferred upon the heads of mortal man in our generation. We have seen these things in the former days of this Church, or at least in the first rise of the Church. The Lord our God was pleased to confer the authority that is symbolized by these pictures here in this hall. We have no authority given by any other people, any other nation, any other sect, any other denomination; we do not consider their pretensions to divine authority worth the ashes of a rye straw -- we mean the whole of their authority put together. Hence the Lord has given all these things by his own power. Now, if this be the kingdom of God, as we testify, organized and set up by his own divine will, the authority restored by his own power, the ordinances renewed by divine revelation, what then should we expect in the future? Should we expect to

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lay down these principles in the future, and say they are no longer required? No. In all our future doings, in all our future journeyings, in all our future administrations among the inhabitants of the earth, from this time henceforth and forever, the Lord our God is our Lawgiver, the Lord our God is our King, the Lord our God is our Revelator, the Lord our God will direct in all these things. The year of jubilee! These are words that sound very pleasantly to my ears. I am looking forward to the Great Jubilee that is now near at hand, and when I hear the words spoken from this stand, when I read these ordinances that were instituted among ancient Israel, and when my thoughts reach out to the great future, to the time when there will be a jubilee indeed, my heart rejoices before the Lord. A jubilee for all the Saints of God, wherein they will be subject to no power, save it be the power of God and the power that he has ordained; wherein there will be no earthly governments to triumph over the Saints of that kingdom; wherein there will be but one government upon the face of the whole earth, and the dominion and the greatness of that dominion and that kingdom will extend forth under the whole heavens. It will be a time of jubilee -- a time wherein the inhabitants of the earth will rejoice, a time wherein the inhabitants of heaven will rejoice a time when the inhabitants of heaven will join with the inhabitants of the earth in one great, grand, general assembly, although we will afterwards be permitted to spread forth in our generations over the face of the earth, to perform various duties required at our hands; but yet, in the commencement of that grand period it will be a general assembly of the Church of the First-born -- of the living and the dead who have died in Christ. Jesus will be our King; he will be our Lawgiver; he will reign over us. The resurrected Saints will be with us. We will hear the words of their mouths. They will also be kings and priests; they will administer among their households of the generations that shall be in mortal flesh; they will be called the priests of God, and will administer in power and great glory during the happy period of the Millennium. A year of Jubilee! No sorrow, no sighing, no bondage among the people of God, but all will be free, full of joy, full of blessings; and this jubilee will last for one thousand years. Amen.

ELDER CHARLES C. RICH

I feel very thankful to enjoy the privilege of meeting with my brethren and sisters in this hall, and of listening to the instructions we have received to-day. I often feel that we are a highly favored people in being permitted to gather together from the different nations of the earth unto these valleys for the purpose of being instructed by the spirit and power of God in relation to the kingdom of God, and the building up of that kingdom on the earth. We are thus a highly favored people, and so far as I am concerned I only feel very desirous that we should appreciate the blessings we enjoy, realizing that they come from our Heavenly

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Father, realizing that we are in a position to receive such instruction as we need from day to day in order to comprehend his will concerning us, and be willing to perform the labor that is required of us. This should be our study by day and by night, in order that we may comprehend the duties and responsibilities that rest upon us as Saints, that we may perform them in the flesh in a manner that will be acceptable to God our Heavenly Father. We learn from the revelations that we have received, that the labors pertaining to the flesh should be performed whilst in the flesh. We are required to perform labors for our friends that have gone before, labors that they cannot perform for themselves, and should we pass away without doing this work we should fail in our duty. It would be well, therefore, for us to reflect upon these principles -- that is, upon the principle of performing the labors pertaining to us in the flesh while we are in the flesh. For this purpose we are laboring to build temples to enable us to perform the works we should perform. I sometimes think, however, that we are a little careless in relation to this matter. Having been favored as we have been as Saints of the Most High God, being directed what to do and how to do it, let us be found faithful in the discharge of the duties that are incumbent upon us. There are no people on the earth that I know anything about who have been so highly favored as we have been. We have had the word of the Lord from the beginning of this Church until the present time in relation to what we should do to build up the kingdom of God on the earth. We have had his servants that have said to us "verily, thus saith the Lord," do this thing, and that thing in our temporal as well as spiritual affairs that we might perform our duties in a manner acceptable to the Lord our God. In observing the principles of the everlasting gospel, we find that we are removed from difficulties that other people have to encounter. We find the gospel has a remedy for all our evils. We may have difficulties to encounter, but we have the opportunities of overcoming them. We have the privilege of doing right all the time and not doing wrong. Our words can be for good; our labors can be for good; and our energies can be used for the establishment of righteousness on the earth. This is our privilege, and I trust we are living with an eye single to the glory of God and the building up of his kingdom on the earth, for all other kingdoms, as we have been told, will pass away, but his kingdom will remain forever. We must labor in that direction. We must seek his Holy Spirit to assist us, for without it we can accomplish but very little. The Elders are sent all over the earth, or over a great portion of the earth, for the purpose of warning the inhabitants of the earth of the judgments to come, and of proclaiming the everlasting gospel that they may have an opportunity of embracing it, and be gathered out with his people. This is a privilege that is offered far and wide to the inhabitants of the earth inasmuch as they will receive it; but we have found that the great majority are not disposed to receive the benefits and blessings of the gospel; only a few out of the many are willing to hearken to the counsels offered unto them. We are among the few that have listened to and obeyed the principles of the gospel, and we are privileged to meet together on this occasion, and other occasions, for the purpose of being instructed in relation to the

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duties resting upon us. We find we do not learn everything at once. We receive something to-day, and probably something else tomorrow, and so on from time to time, and thus our knowledge increases in relation to the things of God. This is a great blessing to us; and we should embrace every opportunity of overcoming our faults, our follies, and our imperfections, realizing that they do us no good. They are an injury to us, and as fast as we can overcome them so fast are we blessed. I have thought sometimes that we are more anxious to know some things in relation to the future than we are things pertaining to the present life. I feel that it is a very important matter to comprehend the duties of this life, what we should do, and what we should not do. For instance, if the Lord desires a temple built, it is very desirable that we should know how to build it; if the Lord desires that we should go on a mission it is very desirable that we should go on that mission. These are things that we want to understand, and when we understand them we want to be engaged in that labor, and thus be engaged in that work the Lord requires us to perform. We have already learned that the Lord wants us to build temples for the purpose of redeeming our dead. We are engaged in that labor, and I trust we will accomplish the work required at our hands as speedily as possible. I will say, however, that I find a good spirit -- and a willing spirit -- to engage in this work, and the Lord has blessed those who have labored on these temples. He has poured out his blessings upon them; they have received an abundance to sustain them, and have got means as fast in laboring to build these temples as they did when engaged in other work. The Lord has verily fulfilled his promises in relation to this matter. We cannot carry with us behind the vail gold and silver, houses and lands, or any earthly substances; but the principles of eternal life -- if we practice them in our lives -- we will carry them with us. "Straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it," is a saying of the Savior, and it is for us to reflect upon it. We should never tire in doing good. I once met a man who had reached the years of seventy. He thought he was free, he thought he had labored enough. Now, I do not feel so. I do not think we should feel so, if we live to be a thousand years old. I think we should feel to exert ourselves to accomplish all that the Lord requires of us both in time and eternity. Brother Pratt has been laboring in this Church almost fifty years. I have been in the Church a long time myself. What do I find in relation to myself? I find that with all my labors, and all the exertions that I have used, I come short of having done all that I would like to have done. The longer we live the more we learn. Then let us make good use of our time. Let us perform all the earthly labors we can, and leave nothing undone, so that when we pass away we shall feel satisfied with our labors in this probation, and receive the welcome "well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Now, the Lord has offered this freely to all, not to one, two, or twenty, but to all.

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Well, I feel very thankful that my life has been spared to behold the present day. I am very thankful that I was willing to receive, in the early rise of this Church, the everlasting gospel. I am very thankful that I am able to-day to bear testimony that I know it is true, and I know that if we hearken to the precepts of the gospel, and live up to them, we will receive an inheritance in the celestial kingdom of our God. Let us, then, be found faithful to the duties devolving upon us. Let us live with an eye single to the glory of God, to the building up of his kingdom, and to accomplishing the work he has designed we should accomplish. That the Lord may bless us, and bless his Saints everywhere, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR

I have been very much interested -- as no doubt you all have -- in listening to the principles that have been unfolded to us this day, in this house. I was going to say I almost wish the house was a little larger; but, then, upon reflection, it is right enough; it was not intended to be as large as the tabernacle. The large tabernacle is a place for the assembling of the people in General Conference, and on public occasions, and it has become a question whether we had better go into the other building or continue in this to-morrow. However, the weather is a little cold and inclement at present, and perhaps by the sixth of April it may be a little warmer and more comfortable. If not, we shall have to do the best we can. As I stated, this building is not intended for a General Conference, but for holding meetings in the winter time when the weather is cold, and as a Stake house to hold Priesthood and quarterly Conferences in, where all may be warm and comfortable; and so far as that is concerned, it seems to me that the house will accomplish all that is required in this respect. And then for our Conference meetings we have the large tabernacle, which will hold, I suppose, three or four times more people than this will. I am sorry that there should be a necessity for any to turn away; but we cannot always help these things, and it is better for those that are here to be comfortable, than for all to be uncomfortable, cold and unpleasant. In regard to the work in which we are engaged, we all feel to a certain extent interested therein, and there are many points that it will be necessary for us to reflect upon. One is, that it is "not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, that shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." And it is for us to square our lives according to the principles laid down for all of us; for all of the officers; for the Twelve and their Counselors; for the Presidents of Stakes and their Counselors; for High Priests, for Seventies, Elders, Priests, Teachers and Deacons; and for every man to magnify his calling with singleness of heart before God, and to feel that God demands of us righteousness, truth and integrity in our hearts; that we cleave unto him, observe his laws and keep his commandments; and if we do this, then the blessings of which

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we have heard are ours; if we do not we shall not possess them. I do not wish to talk long, as the time has expired. I thought I would make a very few remarks. There are other things to attend to; but for the present I will desist. The choir sang an anthem. Meeting adjourned until Monday, at 10 a.m. Benediction by Elder FRANKLIN D. RICHARDS.

SECOND PRIOR MORNING MEETING

Singing by the choir. Prayer by Elder CHARLES C. RICH

ELDER BRIGHAM YOUNG

We have been highly edified during our meetings in this hall, and I am thankful for the privilege of meeting with the Saints in this beautiful building. It is certainly a great improvement upon those brush boweries that we once occupied, and even upon the old tabernacle that formerly stood in this corner of the block. If we are improving as Latter-day Saints in spiritual things, and in union in temporal matters, as we are improving in wealth, in architectural taste, and in all of those amenities that make life agreeable in a temporal point of view, no doubt it is well with us. I presume that we are advancing in the knowledge of God, and that we are preparing ourselves for a future life and exaltation in the kingdom of God. But when we examine ourselves closely, it is evident we are not making the progress in the knowledge of the things of the kingdom of God that we should make, as the representatives of the Almighty in this whole earth. Of all the millions of people that inhabit this globe the Latter-day Saints alone, so far as I know, represent the kingdom of God upon the earth, represent the great latter-day work -- the restoration of all things -- and are in possession of those ordinances which reach into eternity and which are of so vital importance to the future existence of all mankind. Do we truly realize the importance of the position we occupy? We have had revelation; we are receiving revelation constantly. God has placed us in a position that we may communicate with the heavens, that we may receive inspiration of the Holy Ghost and be actuated thereby in all the labors of this life. But in our daily avocations we fail frequently to enjoy the free flow of that Spirit that comes from

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above; our humanity too often steps in between, and when this is our condition we become more or less subject to other influences whose work is to deceive and lead astray. There is a principle of revelation which all Saints are required to understand and observe. It is not our province to have angels of God visit us, as they certainly did the Prophet Joseph Smith, when he laid out the broad foundation of the kingdom of God upon the earth. In his case their visits were actually necessary; for nothing short of direct communication with the heavens could have enabled him to do the work he did; in ours it is different. The foundation is already laid according to divine approval and the work of building fairly on its way; revelations communicating the will of the Lord have been given for our profit and general guidance, and it remains with us to carry it on to completion. But there is a principle of revelation in the heart of every Latter-day Saint which, if cherished and encouraged, is calculated to lead us safe in all the minor affairs of life; and we should live, and it is our privilege to so live, as to be operated upon by the influences of the Spirit of God through all our labors until the whisperings of that Spirit shall be constantly with us. Man is in a fallen condition; we realize this every day. He looks hither and thither; he casts his eyes to the right and to left, and desires this thing and the other tiling, and wishes and hopes to obtain them; and thus follows after those earthly possessions, paying heedless regard to more weighty things of the kingdom. Now, the principle of revelation should be in the breast of every Latter-day Saint; it should be there and continue to grow and increase and expand in the hearts of the people until they are thoroughly imbued with that Spirit. It will not come in a day nor perhaps in a year, nor in a series of years; it will take years and years of faithfulness on the part of the Latter-day Saints before their minds can be wholly and fully absorbed by the spirit of revelation, so that every thought and every act will be prompted by the influence of the Spirit of God. It is our duty to encourage that Spirit until it absorbs the whole being, until all our thoughts and actions shall spring from that pure source which comes from above. Now, that our acts do not comport with this teaching at all times, I am aware; but it is expected of us to grow unto these things; and in order to grow unto them, it is necessary for us to take a course to nourish and cherish this Spirit in our every day associations and conversations, that nothing may obstruct the free flow of the Holy Spirit unto us. We listen to many things that are pleasing to the ear, but which are not profitable to the mind. This should not be. The things of the world should have no place in the hearts of the Latter-day Saints. If I place myself in a condition to receive the things which are outside of this Church and kingdom; if I associate with people who have denied the faith and who acknowledge not God, who will not bow in obedience to the principles of the everlasting Gospel, and who are, say, spiritualists and infidels -- if I associate with such men, I must to a greater or less degree partake of their influence. Our associations have a great deal to do with either the encouraging or discouraging within us the principle of revelation. For instance, I hear of people calling themselves Latter-day Saints who make a practice of taking their wives and children to beer saloons, and

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while in such places they get so happy that they shout out the songs of Zion, and seem to enjoy themselves to a great degree. Does anybody know of circumstances of this kind? Yes; we cannot deny it. Who are these people? Are they Latter-day Saints? I should not think so, indeed; although to hear them sing one might be led to believe them the best of people, for they select the choicest of hymns, and they shout them out before men who make a living by selling intoxicating liquors. To my mind it is casting pearls before swine. Perhaps you may think that is a little strong; but that is the view I take of it. I am aware that all the people do not do this; I am aware, in fact, that they are very few, comparatively speaking. I am not censuring those people who do not do this thing, but there are some people who call themselves Latter-day Saints whose conduct in this respect is censurable. To associate with the drunkard is not the way to encourage the principle of revelation. Every Latter-day Saint is bound to encourage this principle if he desires to attain the blessings that accrue from the everlasting gospel. But there is but one way, one road, and the end thereof is life everlasting. Now, what shall we do, Latter-day Saints? We are aware of the fact that society is sadly mixed up in this city; and that every engine and power of darkness having a tendency to win away the hearts of our sons and daughters, and to allure the weak-minded is at work endeavoring to lead them down to destruction. These local affairs should engage our attention until these evils are rooted out from our midst. And let the line be drawn between those that live their religion and those that do not. The very best way to show them up in their true colors is for us to live our religion and let people see by our works that we are for God and his kingdom. My prayer is -- and I presume it is the prayer of all Latter-day Saints -- that God will inspire our hearts to do right, to walk in his paths, and help us to overcome evil with good. Let us have charity. I believe in charity, I would like to have more of it; but I do not consider it is charity for me and mine to indulge in the society of those that are apostates, that are wicked in their hearts, and will deny the covenants which they have made before their Father and God. I do not think it is charity for me to throw pearls before swine. I believe in charity, and at the same time I believe in entire exclusiveness, so far as mixing up my interest and striking hands with the unbelievers is concerned. That God may help us to cultivate and develop within us the spirit of revelation, until every thought shall be inspired from on high, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

ELDER JOSEPH F. SMITH

While listening to Brother Young, my mind reverted to one or two passages in the early revelations given to the Church, which would seem, from the testimony we have had from him, to be somewhat applicable at the present time as well as at the time the revelations

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were given, and I thought I would refer to, and perhaps read a few of these passages, so that we can reflect upon them ourselves. [The speaker then read from the first to the tenth verse of the revelation given to Joseph Smith June 22, 1834, page 377 of the new edition of Doctrine and Covenants; also from a revelation given December 16, 1833, first to the nineteenth verse, same book, page 349.] I realize that I am speaking to people that have joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and as members of that Church, profess faith in the Gospel as it has been revealed in this dispensation. It would seem, sometimes, almost superfluous to keep preaching upon these plain and simple principles, which all ought to understand and be anxious to carry out. Nevertheless we find it necessary, and therefore we continue to preach, expound, exhort and to plead with the people, our brethren and sisters in the covenant of the Gospel, to keep the commandments of God which they have covenanted to keep. The Lord keeps pleading with us; he has to forbear with us, to extend mercy, kindness and forgiveness day after day. For we are very forgetful, careless, indifferent and thoughtless of our duties. It is only when the Spirit of the Lord is upon us that we can really sense the responsibilities that we are under to God and to each other. When we are engaged in the daily avocations of life our minds are occupied with other things; we are thinking how to make means, or get wealth, how to provide for our necessities and to make our families comfortable. These thoughts take possession of our minds and exclude reflections upon the commandments of God which we have covenanted to keep, and which, by keeping, we would avoid all the errors, evils and follies that have been referred to by Elder Young, to which so many of us are liable, notwithstanding we are professedly Latter-day Saints. It was said by our Savior, to those who professed to be his disciples, "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Now, when I see a Latter-day Saint, or, rather, a person who professes to be a Latter-day Saint; guilty of drunkenness, of profanity, of dishonesty, or cheating his neighbor, or of bearing false witness against his brother, I say in my heart that that man is two-fold more a child of hell than as though he had never been baptized; for "to him that knoweth how to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin," saith the Apostle James. And verily it is true in relation to those who profess to be Latter-day Saints, who should know to do good, for they have covenanted to do that which is right and forsake that which is evil. That covenant has been made with God, and is recorded in the archives of heaven as well as upon the earth. If we take a course to violate our covenants, we declare our unworthiness before him with whom those covenants are made, who understands the nature of the covenants and of the obligations we are under, and must regard us as transgressors, far more worthy of chastisement than those who have never entered into covenant with the Lord to keep his laws. Is not this correct, sound, just and reasonable doctrine? Is not this the way in which we would judge ourselves and regard one another? Do we not look upon our neighbor, who has made a promise to us and has wilfully and intentionally broken that promise, as untrustworthy, as untrue to his word, and unworthy of our confidence and esteem? Certainly.

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Then how much more will God, who is perfect, who sees clearly the end from the beginning, look upon us with disfavor, who have received the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and therefore the means of knowing the way of life, if we turn away from the truth and disregard our vows and covenants with God and each other. Are we not, under the circumstances, worthy of condemnation and chastisement? If the wicked, who will not repent of their sins, and who therefore know not God nor keep his commandments, will be destroyed for their wickedness, how much more worthy of destruction will they be who, having once repented of their sins and learned the way of life, have turned from their righteousness again to their evil practices and ways? It is said here, in the language that I have read, "Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom, otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself." In other words, those who profess to be Latter-day Saints must become acquainted with the laws of the celestial kingdom, must abide by them, must comply with the requirements of heaven and hearken to the word of the Lord, in order that Zion may be built up acceptably, and that we may partake of the benefits and blessings of this labor. For it is a labor which devolves upon those who have been called out from the midst of the world in this dispensation. We have been called, and so far as we will be faithful we are chosen to do this work. But notwithstanding we have been called, if we do not prove faithful we will be rejected. I do not speak this in reference to the whole Church, but in reference to individual members of the Church; for it is my implicit faith and belief that this work will never cease, that it will never be given to another people, and that the purposes and designs of God will be accomplished, for he has decreed it. In one sense we are not doing this work, for it is not the work of man, neither individually nor collectively, nor of any single quorum of the priesthood, nor of all the quorums combined, except God is with them. In other words, it is God Almighty who will accomplish this work, and he will use such instruments as he can find for its accomplishment, and those instruments will be honored and blessed of the Lord, and will share in the rewards, exaltation and glory of Zion. Yet the honor, glory and power must be ascribed unto the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever, for it is God's work and not the work of man. We often hear it said that if such and such a man should lead the Church that he would lead it to destruction. I will say, in the name of the Lord, that if any man were to lead the Church of Jesus Christ he would lead it to destruction; that is, if the Church would follow. But I will say, on the other hand, that if God Almighty chooses a man to lead the Church, God will speak through that man. It will not be the man that will lead the Church, but it will be God that will do it through that instrumentality, and we will give the honor to God; we will not arrogate the credit or the honor to ourselves. But we cannot build up Zion except upon the principles of righteousness. Men must forsake their wickedness, their lusts, covetousness, greed, and love of the pleasures of the world, and bring themselves under the laws of God, or they never will partake of the blessings and glory of Zion. And that is not all. It is said in the book of Doctrine and Covenants, that we must be willing to make a sacrifice of everything that we possess in the world for the Kingdom of God's sake, and the man or woman that presumes to lay claim to

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the gift of eternal life, who is unwilling to make this sacrifice, will be offering an insult to the dignity of the Creator. (See Sixth Lecture on Faith.) It is written that we must love the Lord with all our hearts, and our neighbor as we love ourselves. When we reach this point, we shall not be liable to the accusation of loving the world more than we love God. It will then be easy to make any sacrifice for the sake of truth, though it be the sacrifice of life itself; that is, this present life. Jesus said: "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Rather fear God than man. Rather fear to offend the Almighty than to offend mankind. Rather fear to transgress the laws of God than those of men. There are some few, so called, very good Latter-day Saints, who have formed the acquaintance of those who are not members of the Church, and because of these associations they are led into saloons to drink with them, not daring to refuse for fear of offending their friends! I say a man who is so weak as to do that is not fit to be an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ, nor to be fellowshipped, or held as in good standing in the ward in which he lives. Why? Because his example is bad. He shows weakness and unworthiness before the Lord and mankind. He has not the strength of character to refuse to join his friend in doing an evil, for fear of offending that friend. The same principle would lead him, and, by his example, others perhaps, to gambling, stealing, profanity, whoredom, or anything else in the catalogue of crime. I love a man who dares refuse to do wrong, no matter where he is nor what the wrong even to drinking hot drinks, or neglecting the "Word of Wisdom." Many of our good people have become so weak that, according to the "Word of Wisdom," they are not worthy to be called Saints, for it is "adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all Saints who are or can be called Saints." But says one, "If I am offered a cup of tea or a cup coffee I cannot refuse it." Then, according to the word of the Lord, you are too weak to be a Latter-day Saint. It has been said that Brother Joseph F. Smith is "radical." Perhaps so, for when I give my word I expect to fulfil it; I always have felt so, and always have endeavored to keep my word whenever I have given it. Those to whom my word is given have a right to expect and demand its fulfilment, or a justifiable reason for failing to do so. And if ever I fail to fulfil my word, I hope to be able to give a sufficient reason for it. I do not presume that I am better than the Lord, I do not think that man can be better than God; I therefore suppose that when God has given his word that he will fulfil it; I suppose that when he makes a requirement of men he expects them to comply therewith, and doubly so when they have agreed to comply, and if they fail, I am simple enough to believe with all my heart that God Almighty will demand satisfaction. Does any one call me radical for that? If so, then I confess that I am radical. When I read the laws of God in this good book (the Bible), that the liar, the hypocrite, the sorcerer, and the adulterer, cannot enter the kingdom of heaven, I understand that that is what is meant. I can give it no other construction or meaning, therefore I believe that liars, adulterers, drunkards, sorcerers, &c., &c., will not get into the kingdom of heaven, without they repent and make restitution for the wrongs they have done; God has opened the

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way of escape for those that will hearken to and avail themselves of the privileges of the Gospel. "Who is there," says the Lord, "that hath understanding, that I have not called to repentance." There is not one that God has not called to repentance, which means the forsaking of sin, a departure from evil to do righteousness and walk in the way of life and salvation. I understand that unless we do this we will be weighed in the balance and found wanting. Can you take any other view of these matters? How can a man excuse himself for drunkenness, when he knows that it is injurious to himself, to his family and others, and is forbidden by the law of God, and is a violation of the most sacred covenants he can make? How can a man excuse himself under these circumstances? What reason will he be able to give before God? How can he escape the damnation that awaits the wicked? It is written that "not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." No; but those who keep the commandments of God, who walk righteously before him; they shall say "Lord, Lord," and the Lord will hearken unto them. The cry of the angel was, "Come out of her (Babylon), my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." The doom of Babylon is sealed. The judgments of God will be poured out upon her; they are at the door; the wicked will perish; Babylon will fall, for God has decreed it. They have rejected the prophets, and have shed the blood of the Saints and of those who brought life and salvation unto them. They have cast out the Church of Christ from their midst and have called it evil; they have blackened the character of those that have taken leading parts in the Church and Kingdom of God. Therefore, the cup of her iniquity is about full, and the cry is, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." Now what will it avail us to come out of Babylon, if we bring Babylon with us, or continue her practices in Zion? It does not look to me as though it would be much benefit. I read, in the sixth chapter of the second epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, something that is applicable to some of us in our present condition. Paul says: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the Temple of God with idols? For ye are the Temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." Do you want any stronger language than that? Do you want any stricter command? for it is the word of God to us, although it is recorded here in the Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, and written eighteen hundred years ago, or more, to the ancient Saints. It applies equally to us. The Bible contains the law of God to this people. The Lord says: "Thou shalt take the things which thou hast received, which have been given unto thee in my Scriptures for a law, to be my law to govern my Church, and he that doeth according to these things shall be saved, and he that doeth them not shall be damned, if he continues." Thus you see the Bible is in force, and this is the word of the Lord to the people, "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing." Do

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not assimilate to their ways, but forsake them, and in the name of reason and humanity, for the sake of the kingdom and for your own sakes, do not let it be necessary for an Elder of Israel to repeat on the stand what has been stated this day in your hearing by Elder Brigham Young. Let it not be necessary to proclaim these evils among the Latter-day Saints at a Conference of the people; let it be possible when we come together for the Elders who speak to testify of the good works of the people, of their increasing faith in God, of the power of God manifest in their midst, and to exhort the people to continued faithfulness and progress in the right path, until Zion shall be redeemed, the world subdued, and evil put under foot. Zion must be built up on the principles of righteousness, truth, and obedience to the laws of God; not an ignorant nor a "blind obedience" or submission to the requirements of heaven or the dictates of the priesthood, but an intelligent submission to the laws of God; for the Lord has said that he "requireth the heart and a willing mind, and the willing and the obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days; and the rebellious shall be cut off out of the land of Zion, and shall be sent away, and shall not inherit the land." May the Lord bless us as a people, and help us to be united, to be more faithful and upright, to live our religion, so that our righteousness may exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees of this dispensation, and to keep aloof from the wicked and ungodly, is my earnest prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

COUNSELOR DANIEL H. WELLS

I have ever felt loth to bring before a public congregation the misdeeds of a few, lest a credulous public be led to suppose that evil is more prevalent among us than it really is; and for this reason, perhaps, if for no other, I feel ashamed that such things as have been referred to should exist. I have felt rather that people should turn away from evil and cleave to the Lord, and maintain that better character before him, before one another and before the world. It would seem as though it were necessary to bring up such matters, on the principle, perhaps, that a wound in order to be healed should be probed. But it would seem, too, that such things that have been referred to today, if they do exist in the church, that while they should not pass unrebuked, there is certainly a more proper time and place to deal with them than before a public congregation. We are gathering out from the midst of the people of the earth to be taught in the ways of the Lord, and to walk more perfectly in his paths, that we may learn righteousness, and come to a knowledge of the mind and the will of our Father who is in heaven. God has decreed that he will redeem the earth from sin and wickedness, and establish his own rule and dominion thereon. And it is necessary in order to build up the kingdom of God on the earth that the Lord should have a people prepared with whom he can work, and who will be submissive and ready to do his will. We pray to our Father, saying, "Thy kingdom come, thy

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will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven." Now, how can this come to pass until the Lord has a people who shall be willing to do his will, and who shall be desirous to walk in the path that he marks out for them. Do we realize how very far we are from the Lord's ways; how we have been instructed in the ways of the world through the traditions and false teachings of generations that are passed, and which we have inherited. We had been taught the precepts of men instead of the commandments of God. Now, however, it is plain that the Lord is endeavoring to work a reformation in the midst of his children; and for this purpose he has made known his laws again, laws which are calculated to redeem the people from the thraldom of sin and iniquity so prevalent in the world; and he has made them applicable to this generation, hence they are in force upon the human family. He has brought them home to our senses, and it is with delight that we behold them in contrast with the erroneous teachings we have received from men who have professed to be the teachers of religion, who have professed to be the servants of God, who have professed to stand in holy places and to lead the people in the way of life and salvation -- I say, they have proposed to do all these things, whereas they have neither the authority nor the knowledge to do so, because they have not been called of the Lord for that purpose, nor have they the revealed will of heaven to direct them. They have sought to teach their own will; they themselves are blind, and they lead the blind, and they must sooner or later fall into the pit together. Our minds, however, have been touched with the Spirit of the living God, made manifest unto us. And this is what inspired us to come out from the midst of the world to these valleys of the mountains, where the Lord has appointed to build a Zion unto his holy name, where he has condescended to establish his authority, and also to build temples in which to attend to the ordinances of his house. We have been gathered from the midst of the nations with this object in view, under the inspiration of the Almighty, to do his will and to bring to pass his purposes and establish his purposes upon the earth. Is not this what has actuated us and brought us together to these valleys? If there was any other motive or design I do not know what it was. There are places more desirable to men than these sterile valleys; there are places where the land is richer and where better seasons prevail, and where more profitable results can be obtained in many respects; for this is not so very desirable a country, in fact a great portion of it is very undesirable and unprofitable to man for settlements. But it is not for the sake of wealth that we have come here; it is to be taught in the ways of the Lord, and to walk in his paths; it is to keep his commandments, to do his will that it may be done on earth as it is done in heaven. Reference has been made this afternoon to the words, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins and that he receive not of her plagues." Now, we have gathered bodily, but if we have brought with us the evils that are so prevalent in the world, have we gathered in the spirit as the people of God should gather? No. We might just as well have stayed in the world, and it would have been better indeed to have done so, than to drag the evils of the world into the midst of Zion. Any people who will corrupt their ways before the Lord are bound for destruction, according to the words of the Lord through the prophets. The principles of truth and virtue, and of temperance and honesty are the foundation of exaltation, and just as certain as people will practise them they will be exalted; and just as sure as they indulge in iniquity, it will lead them down to death and destruction, and that,

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too, upon natural principles. There is the way of life, and there is the way of death set before us, and it is for us to choose the course we will take; it is through obedience to the principles of life we shall obtain an exaltation in the celestial kingdom and upon no other. If a person ever inherits a celestial glory can he inherit it upon any other principle than that of obeying the laws of that kingdom? No; because all kingdoms have laws, and a person can only attain to the glory and benefit of that kingdom, the laws of which he observes to keep. This is the way I read and understand the revelations of the Lord. Now, would it not be better to endeavor to find out the will of God our Heavenly Father concerning ourselves, and live so as to enjoy the light of his spirit to guide us in the duties of life? I think it certainly would. The best investment a man can make is to give his all into the kingdom of God, to hold himself on the altar ready for the Master's use, to place his ability, his time and means at his command to further the purposes of his Father in Heaven, and thus accomplish his design and purpose in bringing him into this state of existence. It is no haphazard matter that we have been born in this day and generation, a day in which God has revealed his mind and will to the children of men. He has withheld these spirits to come forth when he should again reveal the laws, that peradventure there might be those upon the earth who would receive his laws and assist to bring to pass his purposes and designs, because it is through the instrumentality of his children that he will bring forth his kingdom and prepare the way for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to rule. For he will rule, even from the rivers to the ends of the earth, for the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof; it belongs to him; it is his right to rule, dictate, and lead forth; and it is only a question of time when he will do so. I feel well in this work. I cannot express the gratitude that I feel to the Lord that he has made manifest unto us his law, his will, the principles of the holy gospel, and that he has brought them home to our understanding. We have the privilege of learning to know God, whom to know, the Apostle says, is life eternal. Now, if to know him is life eternal, we cannot attain to eternal life without a knowledge of him. And how can we become acquainted with God unless he reveals himself? He has, however, revealed himself to man in this our day. We have partially become acquainted with him; we know who he is, and who we are, and we know his purpose and design in bringing us into this state of existence. It is for us to learn the will and design of God our Father concerning us as his children in this probation, that we may fulfil the full measure thereof, and be worthy to return into his presence from whence we have come. No second or third rate glory will satisfy the Saints of God. Nothing short of a full and complete salvation in the celestial kingdom of God, can answer their desires and aspirations. But how do we expect to attain to that glory? As I have already observed, there is no other way save that of keeping a celestial law. This is plainly set forth here in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, it having been revealed to the servant of the Lord in the day and age in which we live. We do not go back to the mysterious ages in order to attain this knowledge. God has revealed it to us in this our day; and although we do believe in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants, nevertheless we have also the living oracles here day by day to teach us in the ways of truth and righteousness.

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Can we govern and control ourselves? We can partly, but I can conceive that in a great many instances we could do much better. Many of us, no doubt, are doing as well as we can, and yet we are not doing as well as we know how. We, perhaps, know a great many things which may be utterly impossible for us to bring into actual practice owing to surrounding circumstances; but yet many are doing the best they can, and we should all the time try to do as well as we know how. Our struggle should be to progress in the knowledge of God and the things pertaining to eternal life, that our course may be onward and upward until we "all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." It is true we are imperfect; the traditions of our fathers are upon us, and I know of and could point out a great many things that are erroneous which our fathers in their ignorance taught and practised. But there is one thing that people who live in this day will have to account for, and that is, their presuming to administer in sacred places the precepts of men instead of the ordinances which pertain to the house of God, thereby leading people away from the truth. We live in a peculiar age of the world. We live in a day when the God of heaven is establishing his kingdom to bring to pass his purposes, preparatory to the millennial reign. We live in a day when we are building temples in which a work may be performed for those who have died in ignorance of the gospel, that they may also be saved. The gospel plan reaches out to and includes all the children of men; it is ample to save all who will bow and live in obedience to its teachings. If a person has not had an opportunity of receiving the gospel in this world, he will have an opportunity of doing so in the next, in the place of departed spirits. And the labor of the Elders of Israel who die and pass into the Spirit world, clothed upon with the authority of the holy priesthood -- is to preach to them the principles of the holy gospel, that they may live according to God in the spirit and be judged according to men in the flesh. But there are ordinances which have to be performed for them on the earth. It is for this purpose we are building temples. Well, I pray God to help us to live our religion, because in it there is life and salvation -- I was going to say, in this world, as well as in the world to come. And so there is. The principles of the gospel are calculated in their nature to elevate mankind in the scale of human existence, and are fraught with salvation to men in this time as well as in the time to come. I pray God to bless all those who seek to work righteousness in all the earth, and especially to remember the household of faith, I pray that he may preserve us from stepping into bye and forbidden paths; that we may be instruments in his hands in bringing to pass his purposes and in upholding the principles of truth, because there are but few who are disposed to do this. The great tendency of the age is to wickedness and corruption, and there are but few comparatively who will receive the truth. Let us sustain these principles like an unbroken phalanx, standing shoulder to shoulder, that the enemy may not make an inroad in our midst. In union there is strength. If therefore we can carry out these things unitedly, we will be able to exert a greater power not only in the world but before the Lord. May God bless us to this end is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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The choir sang an anthem. Elder ERASTUS SNOW dismissed by prayer.

SECOND PRIOR AFTERNOON MEETING

On Monday afternoon the Assembly Hall was again completely filled. Singing by the choir. Prayer by Elder JOSEPH E. TAYLOR

PRESIDENT JOSEPH YOUNG

He recollected the day when the Church consisted of a mere handful of people scattered over two or three States of the Union. In traveling to visit them an Elder was greeted with the sound, "There goes a Mormon!" Now, from Idaho to Arizona, through hundreds of miles, the settlements of the Saints extend and the people greet an Elder with joy and friendship. It was the work of the Lord and caused astonishment. He was the Author of it, and his hand was over all, guiding the destiny of the greatest, and caring even for the sparrow. By his Spirit we were guided, and it was to carry the tidings of his work that we traveled or sent our brethren to the ends of the earth. The speaker described the condition of the world in regard to religion, referring to the ignorance and fallacies that prevailed. He portrayed the Spirit of Christ and its effects upon the human heart, and expressed his full confidence in the Lord and the triumph of this work. Exhorted both young and old to plant within their hearts a reservoir of truth, and to live so as to know that God lives, and that they were accepted of him. Whenever Christian sects had enjoyed a portion of the spirit of truth, and rejected this Gospel when it came to them, they had lost the measure of the spirit previously bestowed. Those who had accepted this work received the power of God and a testimony of the truth and lost the fear of death. He bore testimony that the time was near when God would shake the earth and all things would tremble, and none but the righteous could stand. He wanted to know that his brethren and sisters were taking a course that was pleasing in the sight of God, staying themselves on the promises of God, training their children -- the hope of Israel -- in the fear of the Lord, so that when the terrible things predicted by the Savior and the prophets take place before their eyes, they may be on the watch tower and prepared for every emergency.

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ELDER A. O. SMOOT
Expressed his pleasure at the instructions that had been imparted during these meetings. Referring to the sharp reproofs administered in the forenoon to some of the Latter-day "Mormons," it occurred to him that there were others at fault besides the drinkers and swearers. He asked himself where were the priests and teachers when these evils were taking place. If the teachers were aware of these things, had they discharged their duty towards the transgressors? If they had done this, and failing to work a reformation, had they reported those cases to the Bishops? If so, they had done well, and the fault would lay with the Bishop, unless he attended to these evil doers. He would ask, why not apply the remedy? Let the erring brother who would not reform go in peace and no longer be held in fellowship to spread the evil example. He thought perhaps some of the officers slept upon their rights and duties, and neglected the injunctions of the revelations concerning these matters. If we allowed these evils to exist, their influence would be demoralizing. All are subject to weaknesses, but when we are once overcome thereby, it should prove a warning, and we should take care not to be ever again overtaken in a similar way. In the course of forty years' experience he had seen men holding official position in the priesthood committing the evils spoken of, and their faults had been let slip. Why were these cases not alluded to? Why was not the inside of the platter cleaned? There was a fault somewhere; he would leave others to say where it was. God had commenced to establish his kingdom on the earth, and had so organized his priesthood that these irregularities could be checked and wickedness purged out. The speaker bore testimony that this was the kingdom that Daniel saw; in spite of their imperfections, this was the people whom the Lord cherished; this was the priesthood that would regulate all things according to the heavenly pattern; and many before him in the congregation were destined to be priests and kings unto the Most High God. He had nought but blessings in his heart for the faithful, and he besought the Lord to preserve them from the evils that predominate in the world, enable them to magnify their calling, that Israel might triumph and the enemy be placed beneath their feet.

ELDER JOHN VAN COTT

Referred to the prophesies concerning the redemption of the remnants of Jacob, and rejoiced to hear of the work which was being accomplished among them. While Elder Orson Pratt was speaking, he remembered that he (the speaker), when a boy of sixteen, had the privilege of witnessing the baptism of Elder Pratt, and was the only member of the Church now living who witnessed it. It was forty-nine years ago last September. It was some years after that he himself was baptized, but at that time he received a witness of the truth, and it never left him wherever he went. If it were not for that testimony he would not be here this day. It was a similar witness that had induced the Saints from every part of the earth to

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gather to these mountains. It was time that we should become united and prepared for those important events predicted which were near at hand. We should refrain from evil, obtain the power to discern the signs of the times and of the coming of the Son of Man, cultivate the spirit of meekness, forbearance and long suffering, and seek to God for wisdom that we might be prepared for the great change that is to come on the earth. The choir sang an anthem. Benediction by Elder ORSON PRATT

FIRST DAY MORNING MEETING

SALT LAKE CITY, Tuesday, April 6, A.D. 1880 The Fiftieth Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints convened in the Large Tabernacle at 10 A.M. An immense audience assembled, nearly filling the huge building, galleries included. On the stand were: President John Taylor, and Elders Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, Charles C. Rich, Erastus Snow, Lorenzo Snow, F. D. Richards, Brigham Young, Joseph F. Smith, Albert Carrington and Moses Thatcher, of the Council of the Twelve Apostles. Counselor to the Twelve, Daniel H. Wells. Patriarch John Smith. Of the Seven Presidents of Seventies, Joseph Young, Horace S. Eldredge, Levi W. Haucock and John Van Cott. Of the Presiding Bishops, Edward Hunter, Leonard W. Hardy and Robert T. Burton. The Presidency of Salt Lake and other Stakes, with members of High Councils, Bishops and leading Elders from various parts of the Territory. Conference was called to order by President John Taylor. Choir sang: "Great God attend while Zion sings The joy that from thy presence springs."

ELDER ORSON PRATT

O God, the Eternal Father of Heaven and of earth, we thy children, thy sons and daughters, have assembled ourselves together on this the 6th day of April -- the day appointed and set apart for the General Conference of thy Saints from year to year -- we have

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assembled in this large and commodious Tabernacle, for the purpose of commemorating this day, and of hearing the words that may be spoken from this stand, and also of giving in our votes and our voices unitedly in relation to all business matters that pertain to the Church of God here on the earth that may be transacted on this occasion. We thank thee, Holy Father, that we have been permitted to receive the fulness of the everlasting Gospel revealed anew in this great last dispensation of the fulness of times. We thank thee that thou hast organized thy Church and established the kingdom that was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, and other holy men that lived in ancient times, in fulfilment of their words, and that it has been organized to stand forever, never more to be destroyed or given into the hands of other people. And we thank thee, Holy Father, that in the midst of all the persecutions and difficulties we have encountered during the fifty years now being brought to a close, that thou hast sustained us, that thou hast not utterly cast us off, that thou hast not suffered us to become victims to our enemies and to those that have persecuted us; but that thou hast sustained thy Saints, and brought them into these mountain valleys, and planted them in the midst of the fastnesses of these everlasting hills, and spread them forth upon the right and upon the left, until we have become a great and a numerous people. We thank thee for the great gathering which thou hast commanded and inaugurated in this dispensation -- the gathering of thine elect, the gathering of the Saints of the Most High -- that we have been permitted to come from all the various nations wherever the Gospel has been preached and churches raised up, and establish ourselves in these mountain vales. We thank thee, O Lord, for all thy peculiar care and thy great mercies that have been extended to this people. Notwithstanding our many imperfections, our many follies and sins, thine eyes have been upon us for good. Thou hast raised us up; thou hast strengthened our hands; thou hast encouraged us in our work; thou hast visited us by the manifestations of thy Spirit; thou hast given revelations from time to time to strengthen thy servants and encourage thy Saints. And we thank thee for all these blessings in the name of thy beloved Son. And as the fiftieth year since the organization of thy Church is now about drawing to a close we pray that thy peculiar blessings may continue to rest upon thy peopled and that we may be able to esteem the past year since our General Conference as a year of jubilee to the Latter-day Saints. And we pray that as the close of this year of jubilee will come to an end this day, notwithstanding the close thereof, that we may, in all our future years, humble ourselves before the Lord our God and keep thy commandments blameless, and walk in all thy ordinances and the institutions of thy kingdom, and serve the Lord our God, and be united more perfectly according to the law which thou hast given concerning the union of thy people. Bless, we humbly pray, thy servant Brother Taylor. Thou hast raised him up by thy power, and placed him in a high and important position in thy Church, to preside, in

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connection with his brethren, the Apostles, over the affairs of this great latter-day Kingdom. We pray that thou wilt inspire him with great and important knowledge and information for the welfare and happiness and benefit of the Saints over whom he presides. Bless him abundantly with the spirit of revelation; bless him with the visions of eternity; bless him with knowledge that comes down from heaven; bless him with the discernment of thy spirit; bless him in all things, and qualify him for the important and high position in this thy Church and thy Kingdom, in this thine earth. Bless his brethren, the Apostles; fill them with the Holy Ghost, inspire their hearts from on high, and give unto them the spirit of counsel and wisdom, that they may impart unto these thy people that which shall benefit them and build them up in their most holy faith, Bless all the Presidents of the Stakes of Zion and their Counselors, and also the Bishops, and also the various wards in every Stake. Bless them with inspiration, with the knowledge of God, with an understanding of their several duties and callings; and may thy servants, from the highest to the least, in all the various councils of the priesthood, be inspired from on high, and thus be able to carry out the great purposes which thou hast intended concerning the everlasting priesthood again sent down from heaven and conferred upon man. We pray, O Lord, that the work of the gathering of thy Saints may continue, that thine Israel may be gathered from all nations and peoples under the whole heavens, to dwell in these mountain valleys, and become a great people, that the borders of Zion may be stretched out, and the cords of Zion be strengthened, and thy people be prepared with one heart and one mind for that great redemption which thou hast promised to them in the latter days. Let thy blessing, O Lord, be upon this congregation, upon every man, every woman, every child and every person that attends whose heart is desirous of serving the Lord his God. May the spirit of inspiration rest upon them all. May the Spirit of the Most High impart peace and consolation to all who may be sick and afflicted, that are not permitted to meet with us this day -- may they find favor in the sight of God, may thine angels be sent forth to minister unto them, that they may be comforted, raised up and healed, and that the destroyer may be rebuked from the midst of this people in every settlement. O Lord, we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, that during the convention of our Conference from day to day until the close thereof, that the Lord our God may be in the midst of this people, that thine angels may be round about us, that the heavenly hosts may rejoice over us, that the vision of our minds may be opened to contemplate the things of God; and that all who speak may speak by the inspiration of thy Spirit, and all be edified together. We ask thee, O Lord, to let thy blessing be upon all the missionaries that are sent forth into the nations of the earth, that they may go in power, go in strength, filled with the Spirit and power of God, filled with courage and holy boldness to carry forth among the children of men the glorious Gospel of the Son of Man, revealed in these latter days for the benefit of the human family.

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Hear us, O Lord, in these our supplications. Be with us in our deliberations. Assist us in this Conference, and smile upon us from thy holy habitation. And when we have fully accomplished the work which thou hast given us to do in this probation, may we be prepared to go into thy kingdom, behold thy face, and receive that welcome plaudit, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, and inherit the kingdom prepared for you from before the foundation of the world." These, together with all other blessings which we should pray for, we seek for at this time, not in our own name, but in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Choir sang: "When earth in bondage long had lain. And darkness o'er the nations reigned." PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR announced that important business would be transacted to-morrow, in which the Salt Lake, Utah, Davis and Weber Stakes, were particularly interested, and he wished the presidents of these Stakes and as many others as possible, to be present.

ELDER FRANKLIN D. RICHARDS

It is very pleasing to find that we have so peaceful and favorable an opportunity, in every general respect, of meeting together on this the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints upon the earth in this the last dispensation. Let us endeavor to calm our minds, call in the wandering thoughts and exercise our faith, that we may receive an abundant measure of the Holy Spirit to rest upon us; for if we seek it I am sure the Lord will be greatly pleased to bestow it upon us during this Conference. When we contemplate, in the light of history, what fifty years have done towards bringing forward the work of the Lord in the earth, and of disseminating a knowledge of the principles of the Gospel which he has revealed, and observe the results that these labors and efforts have accomplished toward building up the Kingdom of God, we have reason, if we can only sense it, to feel that he has done great things for his people, whereof we ought to be very glad. Indeed, to contemplate it in its various bearings, and the relationship which this work sustains to the whole human family and to the spirits departed, it is indeed so wonderful that we might exclaim, like one of old, "What hath God wrought!" As this is our jubilee year, let us, as Israel did in ancient times, look back and recount our doings, review our condition and surroundings. On every fiftieth year they redeemed their brethren that were in bondage, the homestead that had been pledged for the necessaries of life; and they reviewed their business transactions of previous years, that they might place

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everything right between themselves and before the Lord. Even the strangers that were among them were remembered, for, saith the Lord, "Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt." Let us seek for the spirit of jubilee as designed of God, and as shall be best, most happily and profitably entertained by man. For, indeed, if fifty years have brought to pass the creation and existence of a Territory with over a hundred thousand of our people in it, what shall the next fifty years produce by the blessing of the Most High upon the exertions yet to be made, if we shall but abide in his favor, and thus inherit his multiplied blessings! We are not apt to realize the achievements of the past, when we but consider the period of a day, a week, or even a year. If we watch the hands on a clock we scarcely discern that they move; but if we look once in an hour, we note the lapse of time and observe the events that have occurred during that hour. So let us contemplate upon the dial of time a few of the events that have transpired with us as a community, and recount with thanksgiving and praise some of those things which God has done for the deliverances of his people. History informs us that when the Church in Missouri was in straitened circumstances, being sorely distressed, and the enemies of God's people camped round about; at the time appointed for the onset, the Lord sent thunders, lightnings, rain, hail and tempests, with such a destructive flood, that the mob found enough to do to save their own lives and attend to the safety of their families; several of them did perish. This was in the vicinity of Fishing River in 1834. It will be remembered by those who knew the Prophet Joseph, that he was worried as a lamb is worried by the wolves; that he scarcely knew rest or peace because of the wicked, who sought him continually for their prey. The Lord raised up a man who was a judge in the land, whose name was Stephen A. Douglas. He favored this people in that he gave to them even and fairhanded justice in his court, so that they might enjoy, in some small degree, the rights, privileges, liberties and powers guaranteed to them by the Constitution and laws of their country. This fair and honorable administration of justice in behalf of the Prophet and some of his friends, won for him the respect of the Saints and the favor of the Lord, insomuch that Joseph told him if he would continue to protect the rights of this people, he should go on to greatness and power and attain to his utmost ambition in righteousness before the Lord. He became a Senator in Congress, and finally a candidate for the Presidency; and with the goal of his hopes fairly in view, like the dog in the fable, who, while crossing the stream with a piece of meat in his mouth, saw the shadow of it in the water, and grasping at it, dropped the substance, so did he; in the political crusades against us he declared himself in favor of putting the knife into the loathsome ulcer of "Mormonism," and cutting it out of the side of the body politic. And what became of him? He went to the Convention in Carolina, and there his party split and he failed to get the nomination. Under this disappointment his light grew dim, and a short period of Senatorial labor ended his mortal career. Whereas, if he had persevered in maintaining the right, he might have gone on to the fulfilment of Joseph's prophesy, reaching the acme of his ambition, and made for himself in that position a name that would have graced and honored

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the pages of history for all time to come. Let us look a little farther, and see what God has done for us in some other instances. About the time when we were considered no longer fit to have place among mankind in the States, when the people around had determined that we must go hence, and when we had laid our course for the mountains, who should rise up and, acting in the interest of Government, impose upon us a most extraordinary and destructive measure, seeking to encompass our destruction in the wilderness, but the celebrated Senator, Thomas H. Bentoh, who had acquired the cognomen of "Old Bullion." This was accomplished by a requisition on our President, Brigham Young, demanding that five hundred of our young men should be called out of our camps to go to war to help to make the conquest of Mexico. Did we refuse compliance? Not at all; but, on the contrary, in the midst of the most adverse, destitute and trying circumstances, it was submitted to; and the full complement of our young men went forth and did honor to the arms of the nation, and God blessed them and preserved them, that not one of them fell by the hands of a deadly foe. But what became of the Senator who, in the wickedness of his heart, did this? I will not say that God took him away because of his injustice to us, but he was soon after afflicted with a cancer in his inner parts, which caused his death. You remember what was called the Buchanan War -- the speculators' war, or war on the Treasury -- when a detail of picked troops, comprising the flower of the United States army, came out to fight the "Mormons." But the Prophet told them to stop at Fort Bridger, and they stopped there until their ardor cooled, being blockaded in the snow and having to consume some of their mules for food, while we herded their cattle for them. Nor did they move the following season until the President of the United States sent out his commissioners to negotiate with President Young, when they were allowed to pass quietly through our city and go to Camp Floyd. Do we forget these things? Or do we remember that the forest of polished bayonets which glistened in the sunlight, looking terrible indeed, became as harmless as the trees that grow, and afterwards, when they broke camp, helped to furnish us with steel and iron and other articles which we then greatly needed. These are some of the Lord's doings. We should not and cannot overlook nor forget them. Who does not remember the deadly strife that ensued in the United States, when father and son went to war against each other, when the armies of the North and South met each other in mortal combat? Through this terrible ordeal we were here in these mountains safe and secure; we did not have to take part in the terrible conflict, nor to bleed upon the battlefield. Has not the Lord been very kind to us, even while he has permitted the wicked to afflict and chastise us? There are other things I wish to call your attention to, which loom up before me. After we came here and had, by the wisdom and counsel of God, established ourselves -- not by roaming the hills hunting for minerals and will-o'the-wisps, but by making homes, gardens and orchards, beautifying and tilling the land, and by making families comfortable

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and our homes desirable, officers were sent here by the Government to rule over us; and they, in the evil spirit of their hearts, began to persecute and afflict us. You remember that a governor was sent here by the name of Shaeffer, and that the great distinguishing act of his official career was the issuing of a proclamation forbidding this people to bear arms and commanding them to refrain from making any military display in their celebration of the Fourth of July, and that, too, when the Constitution of our country distinctly says that "the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed," and we, in an Indian country! But what became of this unrighteous man? He had hardly seen the order carried into execution, when his bones were carried away to be buried with those of his kindred somewhere in the States. Who does not remember Judge McKean, who came here with power from Government and with the authority of the Methodist Church, as a missionary jurist, to oppress and humble us before the nation and before the world? Who of us can forget the morning when he ignominiously dragged President Young to his Court over a stable, to answer certain illegal indictments and false charges? During about a year and a half of official career, this man, by perverting and misapplying the laws, and by utterly disregarding the well established principles of jurisprudence, procured convictions of some of our citizens through illegal juries. But a single case carried up to the Supreme Court at Washington reversed his decisions, invalidated the greater part of his official acts, and made President Young a free man, after having been confined a prisoner in his own house for several months. Where is this judicial luminary now? "This day thy soul shall be required of thee," was written upon the wall of his habitation, and he has gone to his account; but his words to President Young are still fresh in our minds -- " While the case at bar is called The People versus Brigham Young,' its other and real title is, 'Federal Authority versus Polygamic Theocracy." Also his tantalization of Thomas Hawkins, when he had him by maladministration in his power: "I am sorry for you, very sorry; you may not think so now, but I shall try to make you think so by the mercy which I shall show you" -- which mercy consisted of a sentence of five hundred dollars fine and three years imprisonment. When we look back upon these things, which give us, however, but a faint glimmer of the wisdom of God in delivering and preserving his people; without arrogating anything to ourselves, we may truly say, "God has glorified himself and exalted his people." Have we not reason for thankfulness, and can we help feeling that he has acknowledged, at least, in the dispensations of his providence to us, that this is his work and that we are the children of his covenant? We are to-day in the hands of God, our Father, whose mercies are abundant, and whose blessings are multiplied upon us. Let us then take into consideration the goodness of our God, his preservation of us in hours of trial and danger, and in every circumstance and condition of life; for we have individually as well as collectively the greatest reason to praise his holy name for the grace we have received at his hands, in sustaining us and helping us to thus far overcome. The Lord is having a people which is a tried people. Let us rejoice that we are in the crucible and counted worthy to be tried. But, my brethren, let us rise up in holy boldness against, and put away far from us, the accursed things which the wicked have

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brought among us, and which to- day are fostered and encouraged by them in our midst; even as drunkenness, whoredom, stealing, and kindred vices, that are fast becoming popular among many of our youth, whose hearts are sought thereby to be drawn away from the Lord by corruption and wickedness. It is tithe the Elders of Israel were putting on the sword of the Spirit, to do battle against these things. The Lord has said that Zion shall be redeemed by judgment, but her converts by righteousness. He has strictly enjoined upon us that we shall not go to war with our enemies. "Judgment is mine," saith the Lord, "and I will repay," Then we have not time nor occasion to go to war, nor to study the means of destruction and death; on the contrary, we are called upon, and it is our pleasing duty, to study and develop the elements of life -- the spirit of faith in the everlasting Gospel. What better can we do, in this our year of jubilee, in token of our gratitude to God for the abundance of his favors bestowed upon us, than to do good to each other, and to make glad the hearts of the poor in Israel? The authorities of the Church are thinking of doing something by way of aiding such as are needy. The officers of the Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company calculate to relieve in part the worthy poor, who are owing for their emigration; and as President Taylor suggested in public on Sunday, let us all do something to aid the poor and make the hearts of the Saints rejoice, and see that no one is allowed to suffer. This same charitable feeling should extend through all our Co-operative Institutions; our rich brethren merchants who have got debts owing to them by the worthy poor, who are struggling with adversity in the world for a subsistence, let them get out their accounts and send them receipted, either in full or in part, to their debtors, as the case may be, with a note of forgiveness, telling them to lift up their heads and rejoice, and the Lord will bless them for it. Let the rich men in our Territory, who have been blessed to accumulate means, and who hold notes drawing interest against their poor brethren, look over their papers, and where they find a note given by their poor but worthy brother, who has perhaps mortgaged his home and is in danger of being sold out, let them forgive the debt, and thus our rich brethren may help fulfil the prophecy that the poor shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. There are those who have borrowed money, and whose homes stand pledged for the payment thereof, who have incurred debt through misfortune, or hard times, or perhaps through sickness, and who deserve relief -- I would say to all the brethren who may be the creditors of such persons, go to and make yourselves their benefactors, and establish the principle in the hearts of God's people -- "Make to yourselves friends with the mammon of unrighteousness, that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations." For your riches may take the wings of the morning, when you least expect it, and fly away; or they may burn up and you be left destitute. And if the people of the Territory everywhere, who have means, and who have poor relations or friends in the old country -- for there are families scattered throughout those lands who perhaps never have a chance to attend a meeting of the Saints -- would wake up and send for a ship-load or two of them, not those who are able to bring themselves, but the poor, whose hearts beat low and whose hopes have become forlorn, and who despair of ever getting out on their own account. This too would be a fitting and proper thing to do on this

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rare occasion, and one that would bring blessing and joy to all concerned; and thus the glad tidings of our jubilee would reach to those afar off, and they would be made to know that there is a people on the earth who remember their God, their covenants and their poor afflicted brethren. There is a great deal that might be said on this subject, but I will leave it to be said by my brethren who are yet to speak. I perhaps ought to say that the object of granting relief to those indebted to the P. E. Fund Company, is not to benefit those who are able to pay, but those who are poor, unfortunate or suffering, having no prospect of being able to pay, that such of our brethren may be stimulated to fresh courage and to go on in the progress of the Gospel of life and salvation. Will not efforts like these awaken a sense of duty in those who are in need of and receive our mercy, and thus make all hearts glad? And will not our Father in Heaven and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the angels, and the spirits of the just awaiting us, will they not all join with us in thanksgiving and praise to Jehovah for even the little good we are trying to do on the earth? That the Lord may pour out the spirit of jubilee upon us, and help us to continue with gratifying results the labors of the cause of truth on the earth, is my earnest prayer and desire, in the name of Jesus. Amen. Elder L. JOHN NUTTALL read the statistical report of the various Stakes. President TAYLOR said, as the house was rather cold the meeting would not be prolonged. The choir sang the anthem, "Who is like unto thee, O Lord." Adjourned till 2 p.m. Dismissed with prayer by Elder LORENZO SNOW

FIRST DAY AFTERNOON MEETING

Choir sang, "From Greenland's icy mountains,

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From India's coral strand." Prayer by Elder ALBERT CARRINGTON Choir sang, "Ye Gentile nations cease your strife And listen to the words of life," Elder L. JOHN NUTTALL read the financial report of the Trustee in Trust, containing a detailed statement of the receipts and disbursements during the year 1879. President TAYLOR stated that vouchers were on hand for all the accounts read, and thought that the Auditing Committee should examine them. Elder LORENZO SNOW moved that we accept the report, and that it be referred, with the accompanying documents, to the Auditing Committee. The motion was seconded and carried unanimously. The financial report of the Logan Temple was then read, also of the Manti Temple. An exhibit of the receipts and expenditures of the Perpetual Emigration Fund for the past six months, was presented.

ELDER ERASTUS SNOW

I am somewhat weary from journeying, but I will try, if the congregation will be as quiet as possible, to make myself heard the short time I may speak. I congratulate myself, my brethren and the people generally on this auspicious occasion -- the end of our fiftieth year in our organized capacity, as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and on the general outlook, the prosperity that is attending our efforts, the general peace that prevails throughout our land, the goodly degree of unanimity and fellowship and brotherly love existing among the people as shown in the general good feeling that is manifest in all the quarterly conferences and Stakes of Zion, as well as in the interest shown by the people at large on this occasion. The financial reports which we have heard, coupled with the general reports of school superintendents and other public functionaries to the Legislative Assembly during the last winter, tend to show the general advancement and progress of the people in all that is calculated to elevate and exalt a nation. The great number of meetinghouses and schoolhouses, and pupils in attendance in our district schools, and also in the more advanced schools of the Territory, are very gratifying; and the general health of the people at large, and

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all sources of gratitude and thanksgiving, calling forth our devotion to our Father, the Creator. The discourse this morning by Elder F. D. Richards foreshadows what was anciently figured by the year of jubilee, and as understood and practised by ancient Israel, namely, the severing of the bonds with which the people were bound -- the breaking of the yoke from off their necks, and setting the captive free, and the proclaiming of liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof. The general recommendation to exercise mercy and forgiveness of sins, and release the poor of indebtedness, extending relief to the needy, and making the hearts of all the people glad; it is to be hoped that in this good work of liberality, of kindness, of charity, of love -- love unto God and unto all his children may make itself manifest more abundantly among all Israel than it has in times past -- notwithstanding the Latter-day Saints have been proverbial for their self-abnegation, for their devotion to each other's interest, for their brotherly kindness and charity, for their ministering unto the poor, and gathering their poor brethren, and uniting and co-operating together and in promoting each others general interest and welfare -- we hope to see a renewal of our efforts in this direction; and that from this time we may date more rapid progress, renewed efforts, more earnest devotion to the sacred principles of our holy religion, to this spirit of oneness and unity which we look for and pray for, and which has been prophesied of by all the holy prophets, that is necessary to prepare a people for the coming of the Son of Man to reign in the midst of his people. And we might offer a few words by way of reminder and exhortation unto those that have been delinquent in their duty in times past, and in their efforts to live up to their privileges and to exemplify the principles of the Gospel in their lives and conduct. When will they have a better time than the present, and what period of the history of the Church of Christ so suitable as the present -- the commencement of the second half century of our existence -- as the period to date their reformation of life and the allaying of all that lethargy and apathy which has prevailed? Touching our P. E. Fund indebtedness, the books of the company show a vast amount due from those who have been emigrated during the last thirty years in which we have been laboring to gather the poor from distant lands and countries. I am informed by those better acquainted with this matter than I am, that the amount of indebtedness amounts to sixteen hundred thousand dollars. With all this vast amount due from the people all over the land, we find their operation during the last six months limited to about ten thousand dollars; when in reality the operations of this company in the gathering of the poor ought and might, if all did their duty, reach a hundred thousand dollars every year, extending relief to many thousands of those who are praying for deliverance in the downtrodden countries of Europe and elsewhere where the poor have the Gospel preached unto them. For as it was in the days of the Savior, so it is now -- the poor have the Gospel preached unto them. This fact Jesus announced to the disciples of John who were sent by John while he was in prison, to the Savior to inquire about the rumors which he had heard of him. The Savior was preaching and baptizing, performing miracles, etc., and as John was in prison he could hear nothing but general rumor, and therefore he sent his disciples to seek this Jesus of Nazareth, who was

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making such a stir in the land, and to ascertain who he was and what his message to the people was. And in answer to their inquiry -- "Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?" Jesus answered and said unto them, "Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, etc., and the poor have the Gospel preached unto them." By this John was to know who he was and what his message was. The same answer is before the world to-day in the message of the Latter-day Saints and their labors throughout the earth, wherever this Gospel has been sent and preached by the Elders of this Church. The sick have been healed by the prayer of faith and the laying on of hands, and devils have been cast out, and the poor have the Gospel preached unto them, and many of the poor have been gathered. And very many of these have shown themselves worthy -they have paid their indebtedness as fast as they could; others have been willing and desirous of doing so, but adverse circumstances have prevented them; while another class have been ungrateful, and have not sufficiently realized the rock from whence they were hewn, nor the pit from which they were digged, allowing years to pass without an effort, or even a righteous desire, to pay this just debt, thereby preventing the means thus due to go on its errand of mercy to bring other poor. Now, it is contemplated that this year of jubilee shall be made a year of release and comfort to those who are indebted to the Fund, who have striven to do their duty and discharged it as far as able to do so, but whose circumstances have been adverse, preventing them from doing as their hearts listed. It is proposed that such be set free; and while we feel it is a privilege the Lord has given us of speaking comforting words to such, and of loosing the bands from their feet and set them free, we feel, on the other hand, it to be equally our duty to remind those who have been negligent, that if they also would enjoy the riches of Christ and the forgiveness of their sins, they must bestir themselves and come up to every duty, and cease from all hard speeches and from worldly-mindedness and pride, and from a desire to get rich before they are just, and to accumulate wealth before they have signified their gratitude for past favors. We might also refer to the reports of tithing, but from the observations of the Bishops and others, perhaps I might be permitted to repeat their observations, founded on the experience of years, in receiving and disbursing the tithes of the people, and the general accounts from the various wards and stakes and settlements throughout the land; and in repeating their observations I might add my own testimony and experience and observation, formed by the experience of many years in ministering among the people, examining reports and accounts, and receipts and disbursements, and lists of those who do tithe themselves and those who do not; and the general expression of the presiding Bishop and his Counselors and men of observation and experience; bears out a declaration once made by President Young in his lifetime, in effect, that there was not more than halt an honest tithing paid in the midst of Israel; and that if an honest tithing were paid by the people generally, we should have an abundance to build our temples, our meetinghouses, to provide for the poor and relieve the needy, to gather the Saints, and accomplish what may be necessary for the benefit of all the people, without calling on them for extra donations. But from the Logan and Manti Temple

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reports we learn that about $170,000 has been expended upon these temples within the last year; while about twenty-eight to thirty thousand of this sum has been appropriated out of the tithing, the balance being the free-will offering of the people. We have no report of what has been done in the way of donations in this temple district, but the presumption is that while $140,000 of the tithing has been expended upon the Salt Lake Temple, that perhaps an equal sum has been donated; but of this we are not informed, and not being myself in a position to be able to speak of it, of course I will leave it to my brethren residing here in this temple district to speak on this matter, as it might be gratifying to the people of the Salt Lake Temple district to be represented in our General Conference, and that it might also be known what they are doing in the way of free-will offerings in the building of this temple, as well as their brethren in other temple districts. But I repeat what President Young said, and which I believe to be true, that if an honest tithing were paid by all the people, according to their professions, these extra offerings and donations would be unnecessary. You perceive from the financial reports that the aggregated sum of the tithes and offerings seem somewhat large, yet considering the various sources of disbursement, as well as the character of the property received -- being all kinds of produce and labor, and comparatively but little money -- that the disbursements in the various directions have been sufficient to exceed and consume the income together with the offerings. And with some it would seem as though they were not making progress as fast as the people could desire or wish; but if we are not in our public improvements moving as fast as the people could wish, you will perceive it is not the fault of the Bishops and others who have the direction of these financial affairs. Nor does there appear to be a wastefulness or unreasonable expenditure in the receiving and disbursing, as a rule; though there may be in isolated cases, which do not come, perhaps, sufficiently manifest to be noticed in order to be corrected; but as fast as any thing of the kind does appear it receives proper attention. And the people have reason to feel a measure of satisfaction and congratulation in the great amount of good that is being accomplished from these small revenues gathered from this vast people in all parts of the land, and extending as we are new settlements on the east and north and south and southeast, and in various directions, occupying new regions of country and bringing into use fertile fields, preparing homes for the Saints, and thus fulfilling the words of the Prophet Isaiah -"Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords and strengthen thy stakes; for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited." That our nation should be somewhat jealous of us is not to be wondered at from the very nature and character of our institutions and thrift of our people. The same jealousy manifested itself in Missouri in early days, when the Saints were broken up and driven from that place because of their thrift, their provoking industry, the extent of their mechanism, the skill of their artisans, and the thrift that was manifested in turning the desert into a fruitful field, making a great contrast in northwest Missouri between the settlements of the Latter-day Saints and other regions of Missouri at those early times. Not that the Latter-day Saints in these mountains by anything they or their institutions are doing are menacing the general interests of the country, only they are provoking many people upon this American Continent who seem rather inclined to dwindle and live in voluptuousness and

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ease, and spend their vast incomes in gratifying the pride of life and lusts of the flesh, ostentation and show; while the Latter-day Saints seek more enduring wealth -- and fill the land with an enterprising population; and are content to provide the common necessaries of life -- essential elements to the growth and development of a people -- and the training and education of their spirits. By our statistical reports we find that nearly one-third of the population are under eight years of age; while another third are between eight and twenty years -- children who have been born and grown up in these mountains, and are being educated in our common schools. While the reports of our Sabbath Schools show in the neighborhood of 40,000 children belonging to our people who are enrolled in the Sabbath Schools -- more than twice the number of all the other Territories combined, with some of the minor States thrown into the bargain. Our nation is inclined to find fault with us because of our marriage relations -- not that they have reason to believe that the people of Utah are not virtuous -- not that licentiousness or looseness of morals prevail, or that there is a disregard of sexual purity -- not that wives and mothers are not honored as they deserve to be -- not that children are not beloved and cared for and trained and educated; but that there is a disposition under the teachings and sanction of our holy religion to amplify the doctrine (which was also sanctioned by the fathers and practised in ancient Israel, and nowhere disallowed in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ) that every healthful, virtuous woman desiring to fulfil the law of God, ought to have the opportunity of becoming an honored wife and mother, and to partake of those conjugal blessings and enjoyments that are interwoven with our nature and our being, and thus fill the object and purposes of our creation. We believe that where this opportunity is not afforded, where the institutions of the State, or the tenets of religion, or the morals of the sterner sex forbid or interfere with this privilege, there is something wrong. It is a state of Society that is unnatural, and ought not to exist; that a remedy ought to be sought for and found. Some ancient nations recognized the correctness of this principle and attempted to compel the male population to marry, while some of the ancient Gentile nations, under the leadership of Rome, sought to establish monogamy; they also sought to remedy the evils to which I have referred, by compelling the males to marry. If they could enforce such a law, I should think it imperative upon any State that forbids polygamy. A large-souled man who cherishes a proper respect for his mother and sister, and for every other man's mother and sister, and is disposed to marry and deal justly with more than one woman, he ought to have the privilege so to do; but if the State forbids him so to do, then the State ought to compel delinquent bachelors to wake up and do their duty. President Young in his lifetime often made this banter to the United States; if you will not remove your narrow-contracted laws, be consistent, and compel the bachelors to do their duty, and compel every man to confine himself to his own wife and let other men's wives and daughters alone, then we will wait and see the result, and shall be satisfied if the women shall have no longer cause to complain. But while the tens of thousands of the daughters of Eve are left in our large mercantile towns and elsewhere to fall a prey to the brutish lusts of wicked men, and afterwards to be cast off to die, rotten with disease, in gutters and in dens and hovels, and in this state to be swept away from earth -- we say while tens of thousands of the fair daughters of Eve are thus

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victimized and made to suffer from this unnatural state of things in modern Christendom, it seems to us the sheerest hypocrisy for the solons of our nation -- backed by the clergy of the land -- to decry the honorable marriage of the Latter-day Saints, with the example before them of 40,000 children attending our Sabbath Schools -- which I repeat is more than those of all the other Territories of the United States and half a dozen of the minor States thrown in. There is an ancient doctrine which God established in ancient Israel and commanded, namely, that the adulterer should be put to death. We ask ourselves the question, if it became necessary for God to command by Moses that Israel should not suffer the adulterer to live, but that whosoever should be caught in the act should first be tried before the elders, and if found guilty the elders should declare their sentence and bring them to the gates of the city and call upon all the people to pick up stones and join in his execution, that by all throwing at the same time no one would have it to say that "Your stone killed him," or that no relative could charge his death to any one person, neither could the ignominy be fastened upon an executioner, as it is in our day, but the whole people signifying their contempt for the transgressor, joined in administering the penalty until he died the death of the dog. But the natural sequence of the law is -- liberty for honorable men of the earth to absorb the surplus female element in honorable marriage, though it should be under the plural system practised by the patriarchs and prophets of old. And while this privilege was extended -- so long as there was a surplus of female element to be absorbed -- the man who tampered with his neighbor's wife or daughter suffered death. Brother Woodruff related in my hearing a short time since, an account of his visit among the village Indians of New Mexico, on the Rio Grande, and of a conversation between him and the governor of one of the chief villages, numbering some 3,000 souls, who were partially civilized maintaining schools and also maintaining purity in their social relations. The governor assured him that they had for many generations kept themselves free from mixing with the Castilian blood, and that the death penalty was scrupulously enforced upon the man guilty of adultery among them. He said the railroad was approaching their town, that the whites were crawling upon them, and it would be but a short time before they would be overrun with them; and that though they boasted of far greater intelligence, greater wealth, and were a powerful people, they were given to many crimes, to drunkenness and whoredom, and, he said, they feared the result of their approach and their "civilization" in their midst; for, he said, if any of them were to take liberties with our women, and our men should execute the penalty of the law of our fathers, which has been in force among us for centuries, and put to death the guilty adventurer, what would be the result, said the old gray-haired patriarch of the village? I suppose, said he, they would send their troops upon us and slay us. Such are the reflections and such are the rebukes of the chieftain, who is called a savage, upon the civilization of the age. As a people, we are exceedingly anxious to acquit ourselves as good citizens in every department of life, with honor and credit before our nation and the world. We look forward to the time when the great tree that has sprung up and spread abroad, over-shadowing the land in this rocky mountain region, this great people the Latter-day Saints, when their

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influence will be felt in all the land. We are striving, in our weak way, to conduct ourselves and the rising generation under our care for the great work in the earth. The bigotry and the superstition, and the self- righteousness that to-day reign in the breasts of the ignorant, will, by and by, begin to break and give way as the Latter-day Saints become better known, or when the time comes spoken of by the ancient prophet, when Zion shall break forth on the right and the left, and she shall possess the gates of her enemies. How will that be done? We are doing it by purchase -- as we approach the gates of our enemies we buy them out, buy out their ranches, their little settlements and towers, and in this way will that prophecy be accomplished. And as we spread abroad, the cry will be, "Give us room, that we may dwell;" and it is in this sense that we are an aggressive people -- not aggressive by war, not aggressive by abridging the rights of our fellows, but in the sense that we are growing -- in the same sense as the potato is aggressive when planted in a fruitful field. And this reminds me of a remark made by the late Dr. Willard Richards, when, in 1847, we came to the top of the Big Mountain and began to descend through the quaken-asps in the black soil, says he, "Brethren, methinks I hear the Irish potato crying out, lie over, give me room." Such, indeed, are the Latter-day Saints; the cry will be, "Lie over, give me room." We are extending and spreading abroad, and we continue to gather our brethren and sisters from distant nations and provide for them homes and means of employment; and we are marrying and multiplying and endeavoring to encourage the fulfillment of the commandment given to our first parents -- multiply and replenish the earth. And when I look back to New England -- the cradle of American liberty -- and see the majority of the New England families dwindling -- for go where you will among the wealthy, the banker, the merchant, the wealthy farmer or the well-to-do mechanic in the more well-to-do portions of the New England States, if you find any children at all, as a rule it is not more than a son and daughter, or an only son or only daughter -- two or three children at the most in the majority of cases, and they, generally sickly and short-lived. During my last visit to that country I often spoke of it and referred to it among my kindred and acquaintances, of whom I have many, that being the land of my nativity, and therefore I may be permitted to speak of the land and home that gave me birth, and refer to what I regard its degeneracy. In referring to this state of affairs the answer of my old aunt who ranks herself among the aristocracy of the land, "Oh," said she, "it has become unpopular to have large families." And in looking over the newspapers of New England and those of other Eastern States, I was not a little shocked to see the advertisements of abortionist doctors, male and female, unblushingly put forth before high heaven and in the face of civilized humanity -- pardon the expression, shall I say non-civilized humanity? I should offend the pride of the world; but if the Gods and the angels were to speak, they would blush at the term "civilization." And these papers containing such advertisements, are scattered throughout the land broadcast, read by families, and before the gaze of every woman and every girl, as well as every profligate of the land; and these point out the ways and means developed by "Christianity" to prevent the fulfilment of the first great command of God to our first parents. The way to destroy the foetus in the womb, to produce premature birth and abortion, and lastly, when this fails to secretly smother the offspring or cast them into sewers -- anything to be relieved from being burdened, burdened -- God save the mark! -- burdened with the offspring, the spirit that came from heaven, as if it were a burden. What

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false education is this? What false religion is this that has poisoned the human heart, that has turned their brain, that has turned all common sense out of the Christian world into beastly lust, and that patronizes and sustains these vampires of society, and makes them palatial residences on Broadway and on the Fifth Avenue of New York? The price of blood. These iniquities cry unto heaven, and God will visit them in his own due time with judgment upon those who uphold them, and those States that defend and protect this wickedness, and at the same time cry out against the institutions of the Latter-day Saints, and say, crucify! crucify and imprison them, and put them to death if necessary. Will the Lord not lend an ear? Will he not take cognizance of such doings? And will he not judge between his people in the mountains and their accusers and those who rail against them and who at the same time are connected either directly or indirectly with the many sinks of iniquity that flourish on this so- called Christian land? Shall the Latter-day Saints assimilate themselves with these abominations? Shall they too give themselves up to whoredoms and lust? Shall they encourage infanticide, foeticide and all their kindred evils? Shall we forbid honorable marriage and leave the surplus female element a prey to libertines and reap the consequences, in the foul and loathsome diseases that taint society and ruin future generations? No, God forbid! the heart of every Latter-day Saint, man and woman in the land says no. We will pray for our people; we will pray for our nation, we will pray God to soften their hearts and stay their hand and hold their arm, and not permit them to execute their narrow contracted laws which they have framed in the days of their bigotry and ignorance, under the traditions of their father, and in violation of the great principles on which American liberty is founded. We know full well that the old Puritan States of New England and the other commonwealths of America -- grew up under the monogamic system, and that their hearts have not become sufficiently enlarged to comprehend the final result of this tree of liberty which they planted in the land, they consequently retained in their new colonies and the States formed out of them, the old Roman system of monogamy that made laws against bigamy. But the bigamy which their laws contemplated and which the laws of England contemplated, after which they patterned, was not the plural marriage of the Latter-day Saints, regulated as it is under the sanction of religion, its duties and obligations, and religiously observed by the people. But their laws against bigamy were based upon the principle of fraud, fraud practised by a man or woman, who, believing in monogamy, enter into that relationship and then secretly violate the sacred covenants entered into with each other, and unbeknown to each other, contract a marriage with another and clandestinely carry it on. The crime in this instance was not in the religious doctrine of plural marriage, but in the fraudulent manner in which it is contracted and carried on and the violation of their covenants and the law of the land. But the Constitution of the United States is a broad instrument, framed to suit the growth of the country and the expansion of liberal ideas in the land, containing no provision looking to the establishing of monogamy as an institution of the common country; there are no provisions in the Constitution requiring or empowering Congress to enforce such order of society; on the contrary, the principles of social, civil and religious liberty are engrafted upon it and made institutions of our country by that charter of our liberties -- I say all these provisions are so ample in their character that they will admit

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and protect the Mohammedan, the Jew, the patriarch Abraham himself if he were here with his wives and concubines, and Jacob and Joseph, and all the ancient patriarchs as well as the Khedive, if he were to come here with his wives and people, and form colonies in our midst. The true spirit of that glorious Constitution of our country as understood by us, is illustrated in the, hymn which we so frequently hear sung, composed by Elder Parley P. Pratt on the occasion of the first celebration of the entry of the pioneers into this valley, held on the 24th of July, 1848. The first great feast was celebrated, called the harvest feast, commemorating the first anniversary of the arrival of the pioneers in this land and the following is part of the hymn sung on that occasion: "Come, ye Christian sects and pagans, Indian, Moslem, Greek and Jew, Worshipers of God or Dagon, Freedom's banner waves for you." These are the sentiments of the Latter-day Saints as to the nature of the liberty our fathers fought for, and which we desire to maintain in the land, namely, freedom for all people of every land and clime. Nor does it require them to leave behind their wives and children and adopt the narrow-contracted, bigoted laws of monogamy. It was a New England bigot, Mr. Morrill, of Vermont -- my native State, disgraced on account of it -- who introduced that bill known as the anti-polygamy bill of 1862, which was adopted by the solons of our nation, under the last priestly influence and sectarian bigotry of the land, of which the noble Mr. Lincoln was ashamed. And when the bill was enrolled and sent to him, knowing the pressure under which it had passed; and with a war upon his hands, he lacked the moral courage to express his real sentiments of disapproval of the bill, but quietly pocketed it, refusing to sign it, but allowed it to become law by limitation. If there was any one act in the life of Mr. Lincoln in which he will be found faulty and for which he will be found wanting when he shall be weighed in the balance, it was for declining to express his honest sentiments to the Congress of the United States in disapproval of that bill. And if there is anything in which Presidents and Senators, Congressmen and judges will be found wanting before the heavens when weighed in the balance, it will be in their future endorsements of that bill and their efforts to enforce it. May God have mercy on them and spare them the consequences; and may grace abound in Israel, that we may abide in the truth and honor God our Father, and at last be found worthy of an exaltation in his kingdom, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen. Choir sang the anthem, "Glory to God." Adjourned till 10 a.m. to-morrow. Dismissed with prayer by Elder WILFORD WOODRUFF

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SECOND DAY MORNING MEETING

Choir sang, "The morning sun has chased the night And brought again the cheering light." Prayer by Counselor D. H. WELLS Choir sang, "Let those who would be Saints indeed Fear not what others do."

ELDER LEVI W. HANCOCK

Said he was seventy-seven years old to-day, and nearly fifty years ago he was baptized after receiving the testimony of the Prophet Joseph, who received the word of the Lord and was slain by the professed followers of Him who died for his fellow man. He was familiarly acquainted with the Prophet, lived with him for three years, worked under his direction; and he was one of the most pleasing spirits he had ever been associated with. He then bore testimony that this gospel was true; the Book of Mormon was true; the Twelve were true; he heard Joseph say that this work could not be built up without Twelve Apostles and the Seventies following in their wake. Their decisions, if made in righteousness and unity, were as valid as the decision of the first presidency in the days of the Prophet, as was declared in the Doctrine and Covenants, and if there were no divisions among them their voice would be the voice of the Lord, and all Israel should say amen to it. He exhorted all the Saints to works of righteousness, and invoked the blessings of God upon them.

PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR

As I stated on the opening of the Conference, there were some things of considerable importance that we wished to lay before the Saints, and especially before the authorities of the Church to-day. We have had in operation for quite a length of time, what is known as the "Perpetual Emigration Fund Company," and a great many of you that are present have

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contributed to that Fund. And as it is a jubilee year to you -- although I suppose the forty-ninth year would be the proper jubilee -- it is really the fiftieth anniversary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It occurred to me that we ought to do something, as they did in former times, to relieve those that are oppressed with debt, to assist those that are needy, to break the yoke off those that may feel themselves crowded upon, and to make it a time of general rejoicing. And as it is a matter in which you are all interested, it is thought proper to lay the matter before you, because we have contemplated to release one-half of the indebtedness of those who are indebted to the P. E. Fund Company. That is one subject. There is a variety of other things, which I mentioned to my brethren of the Twelve, and they all join in the feeling with a hearty co-operation, all being desirous of seeing something of this kind done which will tend to produce happiness, joy and comfort, and a feeling of relief among many of our brethren. We wish the brethren who have contributed to this fund, and all the officers of this Church, to have a voice in it, because it is our act; and we want to make it the act of the whole people, that all may have a voice, which we consider they ought to have in all these leading prominent actions wherein they are concerned. The proposition is to release one-half of the people's indebtedness to the Perpetual Emigration Fund Company. I may say, I have also spoken to Brother Carrington on this matter, who is the president of this company, and learn that it meets his views. I would further state that to the best of my knowledge nobody has hitherto been oppressed or crowded on account of this indebtedness at all; they have been called upon and requested to meet their engagements, which is certainly just; because others were interested in these matters besides ourselves, who had a right to expect a return of means appropriated, that they also might be relieved, and partake of the benefits of this fund, which was properly named perpetual; that is, many of the poor for which the means were subscribed formerly, under the direction of President Young, who was the originator of the Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company. I have some figures which I will read to you; they will show what has not been returned again by those who have been benefited by it. The amount of the original indebtedness is $704,000. The interest, extending along for many years at 10 percent, per annum, is some $900,000, which interest, in many instances, has had to be paid by us. The whole of the amount is $1,604,000. That is the amount of the whole indebtedness, principal and interest. Now, we propose to forgive those who are poor and that are struggling with difficulties in life, who have not been able to meet their engagements in this matter; not half the amount that they are due, but the whole; and to those who are forgiven the debt it will be blotted out; not partly, but entirely; and the remainder will be left to those to pay who are able to and have not done it. And we shall expect that those who have not met their

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engagements to meet them that is, when half has been forgiven to the poor. For in former times they did not release the rich, it was the poor. The rich can always take care of themselves -- that is, so far as this world is concerned, I do not know how it will be about the next. [Laughter] I wish it distinctly understood that it is one-half of the whole amount, which we wish to relieve the poor from. It will be a little start on the year of jubilee. This is one item. All of you who are in favor of this release signify it by holding up your right hand. [The congregation voted unanimously in favor of the motion.] I will state that, as to the manner in which this will be done; it will be provided for hereafter; and a circular will be issued by the Twelve to the authorities, instructing them how to act in relation to this matter. There is another thing we want to do at the same time; that is, there is a large amount of indebtedness on tithing account. You heard something about that yesterday; it was then averred that all the indebtedness was not reported; that is, if we had it all down it would be a great deal more than is here stated. We as a people believe in paying our tithes and offerings to the Lord -- and when I get through I want Brother Hardy to get up and talk on tithing; he is quite a hand to talk on this subject. We believe it is proper for us to pay one-tenth of our increase, or one-tenth of our time, as the case may be, to the Lord regularly. And a great many men do this, and do it very promptly; but a great many more do not do it, only a very little -- about that much sometimes [measuring the end of the finger. Laughter] I think it will be a tight squeeze for some of them to dig through. I am not talking about this because I care anything about it personally; but because of the interest of those who ought to do it, but do not. There are a great many who have neglected the payment of these things partly through carelessness, partly through poverty and a variety of circumstances, and it begins to feel oppressive to them. Now, we want to break off this yoke too, that is, off those who are worthy; the others we do not care much about -- that is unless they turn about and reform and take another course, live their religion and act as Latter-day Saints. But we wish that there shall be a release of the poor and those who are unable to meet it. The amount that is behind, according to the bishops' records -- which many of the people owing it signify their willingness to pay but are not able to -- is $151,798. We propose releasing half of the amount to the deserving poor, and that will be $75,899. This of course will have to be managed by the proper authorities, the same as the others; that is, first on the recommendation of the bishop of the ward, approved by the president of the stake; and then to receive the sanction of the Presiding Bishop. The P. E. Fund matter will be subject to the recommendation of the bishops, the sanction of the presidents of stakes and also the President of the P. E. F. Company, sanctioned by the Council of the Twelve; so that those that are really worthy may be released, and those that are not, ought to pay it. And then, we who have got a little behind in our tithing, will try and pay it up and thus keep the record right between us and the Lord; and then we may look for blessings from his hands. I will call a vote on this subject that I have mentioned. All who are in favor of releasing the obligations amounting to $75,899, on tithing, signify it by holding up the right

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hand. [Unanimous vote in favor.] All right, we knew that would be the feeling of the brethren. Another thing. We have had a great scarcity of water the last year, and consequently short crops. It is proposed that inasmuch as there may be suffering more or less in some places -- we hope, however, that our brethren will not allow our poor unfortunate brethren to suffer, I have not heard of anything of the kind; but still a little help will not do any harm. And where people have been in straitened circumstances through the loss of crops and of stock -- and some people have lost, perhaps, their last cow, and some have lost many of their stock, and yet have a good many left; but there has been quite a general loss. Now, we propose to raise 1000 head of cows -- not old cows that do not give any milk; nor any one-teated cows, but good milk cows, and have them distributed among those that may be destitute in the different stakes, under the direction of the authorities thereof. And the Chinch will put in 300 of this 1000. I spoke to Brother Sheets and told him that we did not want any one-teated cows. The balance of this number, namely, 700, we would like the Stakes to make up. We have been informed by the presidents that this can be easily done. It would have been quite hard a while ago, before we lost so many of our animals; but now it seems we can do it quite easy. [Laughter] It is much better to give them to the poor than to have them die, and they have not all died yet, so we may as well begin to dispose of them. I want to call upon the presidents of stakes and the bishops to know if you are prepared to furnish the balance -- you that are in favor of doing it, signify by holding up the right hand. [The presidents and bishops voted unanimously in the affirmative.] To the congregation -- all you Saints who approve of this motion, signify it by holding up the right hand. [The vote was unanimous in the affirmative.] Now, we are going to come to our sisters. Some people think that the sisters cannot do anything; I will show you what they can do. President Young reorganized the Relief Society -- it having been organized by the Prophet Joseph Smith in Nauvoo -- and inasmuch as the brethren had been careless and slow to heed the counsel of President Young in relation to storing away wheat, he requested the sisters to do it, and some of we "lords of creation" thought it was a very little thing for our sisters to be engaged in. But we find now they are of some use, and that the "ladies of creation" can do something as well as the "lords." I spoke to Sister Eliza R. Snow, who is the president of the Relief Society, and asked what her feelings would be, and that of her sisters, in relation to the distribution of their wheat, for those who are in need of seed, letting the people have it as a loan, for which the bishops should become responsible and see that it is returned after harvest. She replied that it would meet her entire approbation. The sisters have not had the opportunity to meet yet to get an expression of their minds in relation to it; but I will guarantee that they will do what they are requested to do, for they have already been doing something in that line, as I understand it. Is not that so Brother Hunter? [Bishop Hunter: "Yes, sir."] Now, we want to show you, what the sisters can do. I will guarantee that they will do it, and that we will have a report from them before we get through. They have 34,761 bushels of wheat. Who of you men can raise that much?

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Where's your wheat? [Laughter] Now, those 34,761 bushels of wheat will be of considerable importance judiciously managed, and loaned out to some of our poor brethren. It will furnish seed wheat, and after harvest they can return it again. We do not want any more harsh talk about the woman question after this. [A voice: "May they vote now?"] O yes, they may vote now if they choose to; everybody is willing that they should vote now. [Laughter] That is, they are willing the sisters shall vote on the wheat question. [Renewed laughter] We may as well call a vote on this question now, our sisters are present whom we will ask to vote. All you sisters who are in favor of carrying out this request, hold up your right hand. [A forest of hands went up.] There they go, you see. [Laughter] I think that is the most hearty vote yet. I knew they would do it. [A voice: "Is it to be loaned without interest?"] Somebody asks if it is to be loaned without interest. Why, of course it is; we do not want any nonsense of that kind; it is the time of jubilee. There is another thing. We have got through with many public matters, I will say something else. It is no more harm for private people to forgive one another than for public ones. If you find people owing you who are distressed, if you will go to work and try to relieve them as much as you can, under the circumstances, God will relieve you when you get into difficulties. I will tell you that in the name of the Lord. Let us act on a kind, generous, brotherly principle, doing good one to another and carrying out the principles of the everlasting gospel in our lives. We talk sometimes about the United Order. There is a little of that spirit manifested in our operations to-day, is there not? Operating together for the welfare of all; that is what we ought to do; that is what the gospel teaches us. I speak of these things for your reflection, and they are matters we will leave in your own bosom. And I would like to see Z. C. M. I. and our bankers, merchants and other creditors scratch off a few names of their debtors; and I think they feel disposed to do it; I have spoken to some of the directors of Z. C. M. I., and find that they feel about as we do. We expect to hear a report from them before long. While God is blessing us, let us bless one another; although we are not suffering, neither do we intend to suffer; God will not let us if we will not let one another suffer. We will go along as if we had no drouth or dead cattle, or any other stop, and everything will be prosperous. There is now every prospect of a good harvest; the grain is not all in yet, but we have snow in the mountains, and things look quite prosperous. And if we take good care of one another, God will take care of us; and he will deliver us and stretch out his hand in our behalf, and we will be his people, and he shall be our God; and we will treat one another as we wish to be treated by one another, and then we are prepared to receive blessings from his hands. Amen.

BISHOP L. W. HARDY

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The principle of tithing I heartily believe in, for the reason that the Lord instituted it himself, and, therefore, it is not a new thing on the earth. It is an old doctrine. Even Abraham paid his tithes to Melchisedek when he met him, because he held the higher priesthood of God. We have had many lessons on this subject, so many that it is almost useless to talk about it now. The time was, since we came to the valleys of the mountains, when the Saints had nothing to pay tithing in but labor, hence they devoted every tenth day to beautifying and building up this city and other cities. Every tenth day the Bishops called upon those that lived in their wards to go to work on the public works and streets, and the call was generally very promptly responded to. Thus when the tithing came to be made up at the end of the year, the tithing paid in this way amounted to about $48.00 each man. As time wore on, however, the people became more numerous, and as they had so much to do for themselves, they began to pay a tenth of what they raised, whatever that might be -- say butter, cheese, eggs, or anything else they might have about their farms, and this amounted to a large sum when it was all brought in. Now, we find, in looking over the schedules for 1879, men that we know are doing a pretty good business -- we find that they have paid from $3 to $5, whereas it ought to be from $3.00 to $5.00. It is a mockery to attempt to pay tithing to the Lord in this way. Had we the honest tithing of this people to-day, we would not require to ask for any donations to the temple; we would have sufficient to maintain the poor and pay the salaries of the different officers of the Church, and in addition to this, we would have so much that we would scarcely have room to contain it. This is a principle that the Lord demands of this people, and there is a blessing attached to it, for the Lord has promised that inasmuch as we will pay our tithes he will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.

ELDER L. JOHN NUTTALL

Read the names of Elders called to go on missions. They were sustained by vote of the Conference as follows: Great Britain -- Charles W. Stayner, Salt Lake City; Jesse West, 6th Ward, Salt Lake City; John Donaldson, Mendon; Samuel Roskelley, Smithfield; William Henry Shepherd, Beaver; Joseph Orton, St. George; William C. Parkinson, Franklin; Thomas X. Smith, Logan; David Rees Davis, Marsh Valley, Idaho; Robert Kewley, Benson; Thomas Jackson, Glenwood; William D. Williams, Ogden; Edward Kay, Mona; J. W. Gardiner, Pleasant Grove; Thomas C. Griggs, 15th Ward, Salt Lake City; Edward King, 15th Ward, Salt Lake City; John Evans, Brigham City; Robert L. Fishburn, Brigham City; Thomas Maycock, 3rd Ward, Salt Lake City; Lorenzo Farr, Ogden; Newton Farr, Ogden; James Finlayson, Payson; Wm. C. McGregor, Parowan; James Lowe, Beaver.

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Europe -- C. H. Lundberg, Logan; Charles P. Warnick, Pleasant Grove; Hans J. Christiansen, Logan; Niels O. Anderson, Ephraim; Christian Hogansen, Montpelier, Idaho; Simon Christensen, Richfield; Anders Gustave, Johnson, Grantsville; John Christensen, Brigham; Hans Madsen, Marriott; Peter Anders Lofgreen, Huntsville; Jens Iver Jensen, Elsinore; Ole C. Tellefsen, Hyrum; John Dahle, Logan; Lars K. Larsen, Hyrum. United States -- John W. Jackson, Glenwood; William M. Palmer, Glenwood; Hyrum Jensen, Salina; Abraham R. Wright, 20th Ward, Salt Lake City; Jens Frederick Mortensen, Salina; Mads Anderson, Mount Pleasant; Joseph W. Burt, 21st Ward, Salt Lake City; B. H. Roberts, Centerville; Thomas Davies, East Portage; Benjamin Isaacs, Spanish Fork; David Spillsbury, Toquerville; Alma P. Spillsbury, Toquerville. Southern States -- Henry G. Boyle, Payson; Geo. O. Pitkin, Millville; Geo. T. Bean, Richfield; Wm. J. Bean, Richfield; Albert D. Thurber, Richfield; Peter A. Nebeker, Willard; Joseph B. Keeler, Provo; Walter Scott, Provo; Wm. Clark, Lehi; Nicholas H. Groesbeck, Springville. Germany -- Carl C. Schramm, Payson; John Alder, Manti; Ulrich Stauffer, Willard; Morris D. Rosenbaum, Brigham. French Switzerland -- Geo. L. Graehl, Jr., Brigham. Netherlands -- S. Van Dyke, Ogden. Sandwich Islands -- Sidney Coray, Provo. San Juan -- Wm. Hyde Salt Lake City. The following report was read: Statistical Report of the Deseret Sunday School Union, for the year ending December 31st, 1879: No. of Stakes from which reports have been received, 21; No. of Sunday Schools reported, 256; No. of officers and teachers, 4,998; Average attendance of officers and teachers, 3,405; No. of pupils, 30,768; Average attendance of pupils, 21,922; Total number of officers, teachers and pupils, 35,759; No. of Theological Classes, 133; No. of Bible and Testament Classes, 991; No. of Book of Mormon Classes, 361; No. of Doctrine and Covenant Classes, 159; No. of Juvenile Instructor Classes, 203; No. of Jaques' Catechism Classes, 187; No. of Miscellaneous Classes, 1,316; Total number of Classes, 3,350;

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No. of Books in Sunday School Libraries, 17,908; Amount of funds on hand, end of previous year, $962.84; Amount of funds collected in 1879, $5,742.75; Amount of funds disbursed in 1879 $5,513.93; Amount of funds in treasury, end of year, $1,198.26; No. of Schools not reported, and therefore not included in the above figures, 19. The above report shows an increase of about 2,000 children more than were reported for the last year; and also a proportionate increase in the number of classes and the average attendance of both teachers and scholars, number of books in libraries, etc. The rapid growth and prosperous condition of the Sunday School cause generally, throughout the different Stakes of Zion, is very gratifying and gives us abundant cause for thankfulness to God our Heavenly Father for his blessings on his faithful servants and handmaidens engaged in this good and great work. GEO. Q. CANNON General Superintendent Deseret S.S. Union GEO. GODDARD, Assistant LEVI W. RICHARDS, Secretary JOHN C. CUTLER, Treasurer pro. tem.

PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR

I do not know whether we fully understand what is meant by holding up our hands to testify that we will sustain these missionaries. I will tell you how I understand it. In the first place we select the very best men we can find, and we do not want anybody to go but those who have the spirit of their mission upon them, and who feel a desire to magnify their calling and priesthood. And when they go, we wish them to go as honorable men, and we also want their wives to be treated as honorable women while their husbands are gone, and inasmuch as they or their families need assistance or looking after -- although it is not all who do -- we expect the Presidents of Stakes and the Bishops will attend to such matters; that the wives of our missionaries may not feel as though they were outcasts; but as honorable women, the wives of honorable men, and more so than those who are not doing their duty. We want the missionaries' wives and children made comfortable and taken care of. The sisters have voted to let us have some of their wheat for the relief of the poor. Then on the other hand, let us do something for them. It does not matter how much we pray for them, for this is in accordance with our covenants or voting. Some people would rather pray for them than relieve them. Prayers are all well enough; but a little flour, a little pork, a little beef, sugar, store goods, and temporal comforts are a great deal better than all our prayers without this material assistance. Let us look after their welfare as we do after our own families; while their husbands are making a sacrifice in leaving their families and homes, and God will bless us. "Every one," says the Lord, "that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or

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mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life." Let us make the words of the Lord true. Amen. Choir sang the anthem, "Resound His Praise." Adjourned till 2 p.m. Dismissed with prayer by Elder MOSES THATCHER.

SECOND DAY AFTERNOON MEETING

Choir sang, "Let every mortal ear attend, And every heart rejoice." Prayer by Elder JOSEPH F. SMITH Choir sang, "Hark the song of jubilee, Loud as mighty thunders roll." Elder L. JOHN NUTTALL presented the authorities of the Church, who were unanimously sustained by the Conference, as follows: John Taylor, as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, as one of the Twelve Apostles, and of the Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles -- Wilford Woodruff, Orson Pratt, Charles C. Rich, Lorenzo Snow, Erastus Snow, Franklin D. Richards, George O. Cannon, Brigham Young, Joseph F. Smith, Albert Carrington and Moses Thatcher. Counselors to the Twelve Apostles -- John W. Young and D. H. Wells. The Twelve Apostles as the presiding quorum and authority of the Church, and, with their counselors, as Prophets, Seers and Revelators. Patriarch of the Church -- John Smith. As the First Seven Presidents of the Seventies -- Joseph Young, Levi W. Hancock, Henry Herriman, Horace S. Eldredge, Jacob Gates and John Van Cott. President Joseph Young moved that Wm. W. Taylor be elected one of the First Seven Presidents of Seventies, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Elder A. P. Rockwood. Carried unanimously. The Presiding Bishop of the Church, Edward Hunter, with Leonard W. Hardy and Robert T.

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Burton as his counselors. John Taylor as Trustee-in-Trust for the body of religious worshippers known and recognized as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to hold the legal title to its property and contract for it. The Twelve Apostles, their two counselors and Bishop Edward Hunter as counselors to the Trustee-in-Trust. Albert Carrington as President of the Perpetual Emigrating Fund for the Gathering of the Poor, and F. D. Richards, F. M. Lyman, H. S. Eldredge, Joseph F. Smith, John W. Young, Angus M. Cannon, Moses Thatcher, Wm. Jennings, John R. Winder, Henry Dinwoodey, Robert T. Burton, A. O. Smoot and H. B. Clawson as his assistants. Orson Pratt as Historian and General Church Recorder, and Wilford Woodruff as his assistant. Truman O. Angel as General Architect of the Church, and T. O. Angel, Junr., and W. H. Folsom as his assistants. As Auditing Committee -- W. Woodruff, E. Snow, F. D. Richards, J. F. Smith. George Goddard as clerk of the General Conference.

ELDER ALBERT CARRINGTON

At any time at your pleasure, by turning to the Second Book of Nephi, 11th chapter, 15th paragraph, in the last sentence of that paragraph, you can read these words: "But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish." I presume all of you have read, or have heard read, the decree of Jehovah; but have we fully realized that inasmuch as we, his covenant people, are not always careful to observe his requirements with due strictness, but unduly labor for that which perisheth, and spend too much of our time, means and influence for that which only pertains to this time, we also run great risk of disappointment? If we do not realize this, I really think it behooves us to comprehend that our father in the heavens has decreed that we shall labor for Zion -- for the upbuilding and establishment of his kingdom upon this the earth of our Father in heaven. Some of us were aware of this plain declaration nearly fifty years ago, but have we diligently striven, to the utmost of our powers, to carry out that requirement? Have we observed it with all care and singleness of purpose, in connection with many other like texts? Our Father has also taught us, through his revealed will, that inasmuch as the inhabitants of this land of Zion will seek unto him and learn to do his will, they shall prosper spiritually and temporally -- in their persons, in their habitations, in their families, and in all that pertains to them: but inasmuch as they will not do his will, they shall be cut off from his presence. Are there any exceptions to that decree and that wise purpose of our Father? Will he for our sakes, when he has not for the sake of our forefathers, change his unalterable purpose and his fixed times and decrees? I think not. Is it not then obligatory upon us to

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diligently comply with all these plain requirements, and to more faithfully bring ourselves in accord with other requirements like unto them, wherein we are required to love one another, to do unto others as we would they should do unto us, to love the Lord our God with all our might, mind and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves? Are we careful on these points? Or do we flatter ourselves that these plain, righteous requirements will be changed to suit our views, our convenience, our carelessness, our indifference, and at times our niggardly, selfish, covetous feelings? As I do not deem it proper to occupy much time, to the exclusion of others, I will confine my remarks more particularly to a matter that I have been much interested in from the day of a vote in the Temple in Nauvoo -- the gathering of the Lord's poor. In 1849 President Young initiated the Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company, and in 1850, if I correctly remember, that Company was organized on a plan to be perpetual so long as it may be needed by the poor of scattered Israel. From that date it has aided thousands upon thousands from the bondage of oppression and poverty in far off lands to peaceful and prosperous homes in these valleys of the mountains, and above all to the blessings of the ordinances of the Gospel. Has not that been one of the greatest blessings and privileges to all who have thus been relieved? When I reflect upon these facts, and bear in mind that much care has been taken for a right application of the funds, even all possible care, so far as I know, and then turn to the treatment that so many have meted, not only to the Fund, but also to their brethren and sisters yet ungathered, many of whom are in more adverse circumstances than were some who have been aided, at times I should almost become discouraged. But I know of no such feeling as discouragement in the operations of the Fund, for it will accomplish its work as the Lord may will, however much individuals may fail in complying, when able, with their agreements. But how those who have been and are able to repay are so slack, careless and indifferent in regard to their obligations so thankfully undertaken, I am at a loss to comprehend. Should they not, for their own sakes and the sakes of the ungathered poor, be more diligent in repaying? So far as I am aware, there has not been the least oppression exercised in trying to collect indebtedness to the P. E. Fund. Do we now wish to crowd, or oppress, or infringe upon the comfort of any one indebted to the Fund? No; but we are very anxious that the Fund shall be able this season to aid many from the adverse circumstances in which they are. Many have no expectation of deliverance except under the blessings of the Lord through this Fund. And can we help them unless those pay who are indebted? Some may say, "Solicit donations," and may wonder why donations to the P. E. Fund have not been solicited for some time past. In 1869 the P. E. Fund expended some $60,000 to $70,000 for the emigration of the poor. The next season it was hoped that, having used so large a sum to aid those who had but little, and frequently no means, the Fund would be able to assist those who had the nearest

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enough for their emigration. This would have been a stimulus for all to save as much as possible, and would have gathered a much larger number with a like disbursement. But from that day to this, with our utmost striving, we have not been able to get beyond the suffering poor, for that class increase beyond our means. This I have regretted. This regret may arise from a lack of understanding on my part, for our Father in heaven orders all things wisely, and his hand is in all these matters. He rules and controls, not only in the armies of heaven, but in the midst of the affairs of the children of men, disposing the results of their acts according to his own good will and pleasure. Realizing this, I have not felt to worry, but I have felt somewhat grieved that we have not been able to more effectually encourage those who are doing so much for their own deliverance. In the meantime, the poor, the worthy, faithful, deserving poor, have been accumulating, in spite of all the Fund can do. We endeavor, all in our power, to collect the means due the Fund, and then to expend the payments and donations in the best manner possible. It may be asked, "Have you not aided some who have not proved faithful Latter-day Saints since they arrived here?" Yes; and how can you foretell who will apostatize, unless you have direct revelation in each case? We have all been anxious, and have taken all possible care, not to aid any who would not prove worthy. But have we not been mistaken in some instances, after exercising all the care in our power? Yes; some whom we thought to be good, faithful Latter-day Saints, and who, so far as we could learn, were so there, and had been all the while, have, since their arrival here, made shipwreck of their faith; and at the same time have not had enough manhood, or principle, to pay back the means advanced to help them out of bondage to a land of liberty. Can we help that? Not that I am aware of; and it seems impossible for us to do so, try we ever so hard, from the fact that this kingdom is likened to a net which is to gather fish of every kind. If we could keep out the garfish, catfish, suckers, and every other kind of coarse fish, it would not be the Gospel net. Aside from this, I think there are some who, if they had remained in their native lands, would never have apostatized; but gather them here and they apostatize! That also seems to be in the economy of this great latter-day work, so I have not felt to critically question the wisdom or good judgment of those who have recommended this, that, or the other one for assistance, even when those assisted have apostatized. President Taylor, the Trustee-in-Trust, has presented to our votes the question of releasing a large amount of back tithing indebtedness, due from those who are aged and infirm, and others who have no prospect for paying. The Bishops, upon due examination, will recommend for relief, stating a few chief reasons therefore; then the Presidents of Stakes will examine the recommends made by the Bishops, and add such comments as they may please, and forward the lists to the P. E. F. Office in this city, where they can be carefully considered and then submitted to President Taylor, under whose direction the Fund operates. I rejoice that the worthy poor, struggling with adversity, are to be so kindly treated, and are to be left free and untrammeled, when they cannot possibly free themselves in any other way.

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I know of no just way of becoming clear of a fair indebtedness, except by payment or forgiveness. That reminds me of another class of Fund debtors. When I speak to them they say: "Oh, yes, we are abundantly able to pay, but you cannot collect the debt by law, because it is outlawed." I am well aware that I cannot compel you by law to pay that indebtedness, neither would I had I it in my power; that is not the way the Fund does its business. All its business is conducted on the broad principle of fairness and liberality, wronging no one, benefitting every one as far as possible. But consider, inasmuch as you are able to pay the indebtedness which you incurred in being delivered from bondage and placed where you can provide yourselves with the necessaries and comforts of life, whether you are even worldly wise in being unwilling to repay that amount and thus prevent others enjoying the privileges you once esteemed so highly. And what has been said to the Saints abroad when they have importuned and plead, and promised to repay soon after arriving here -- they know how they plead, they know how they promised -- many professing to be willing to bind themselves for a lifetime if they could only be gathered to these mountains. What has been said to them? You do not understand what you are talking about. You may not find things altogether as you anticipate. You may meet with disappointment and misfortune. We will help you, we will send you through as comfortably and as cheaply as we can; and when you arrive there and find employment, just pay your tithing faithfully and promptly, provide yourselves with shelter, comfortable clothing, food and fuel, all of which things you will need; then, please, when you have done all this, begin to pay your indebtedness to the Fund; pay one dollar, two dollars, ten dollars, as you are able, without depriving yourselves of the necessaries of life, and in that way you will all the while keep the spirit of the work which you now measurably enjoy, and it will grow and increase, because you will be complying with the requirements of the Gospel. And others in like, or worse, circumstances can be helped through your paying the obligations you are so strongly pleading to be allowed, and so energetically promising you will pay as fast as possible. Ought not these fair requirements to be complied with by those who have been aided, as soon and as far as may be in their power, through their faithfulness? After all indebtedness to the Fund has been remitted, that ought to be, there will still be a large sum due. Will we be able to collect all of that? I am afraid not; for some Fund debtors who had property have apostatized, and others have accumulated property since they apostatized, without sufficient manhood to repay the means that enabled them to be here. They worship the world, have apostatized and gone with the world. I pity them, because they are traveling on a road of exceeding darkness; and they cannot see things as they are, or they would pay their Fund indebtedness. As to interest on sums advanced, has any one been crowded in the least in regard to payment of interest? Not to my knowledge. Have some paid their indebtedness with interest, without grumbling, and preferring so to do? Yes. Who are they? Those who rejoice in the light, life and intelligence of a goodly measure of the Holy Spirit, which is beyond all

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comparison as to value. Others, when making payment, have said: "With regard to the interest, I do not like that." Has not the interest been put at the lowest rate? Could you borrow a like amount from any one, during all these years, for less? You cannot borrow money in small amounts to-day for so low an interest, and scarcely large amounts at so low a rate, except with the very best security. The Fund has never asked more than ten percent, and it was placed at that rate under the instruction of President Young. How long it will so remain I do not know. Some will say, "I am willing to pay a little interest." Very well, how much are you willing to pay, and feel well about it? "I am willing to pay five percent." Very well; Bro. Anderson, cast the interest at five percent, and give up the note, though the other five percent, belongs to the Fund by his own gladly undertaken agreement. Another says: "I am willing to pay the principal, but I will not pay any interest." That is not very polite, though it certainly is plain. Pay us the principal and you can have your note. And lately some have gone so far as to ask us to forego a portion of the principal, which we have not felt at liberty to do; but now all such persons can apply to their Bishops, and they will report. Can any one discern any crowding or oppression in these cases? Now, in all kindness, in all sincerity, I earnestly solicit the debtors to the Fund, for their own sakes, for the sake of the work they profess to uphold and sustain, and for the sake of the ungathered poor in their poverty and bondage, to wake up and help this season, so far as they may be able, that more of the Lord's poor may also rejoice in their deliverance. As to the application of the funds in assisting, it has been the custom, as a general practice, to use the very best information to be had as to the disposal of any given amount. On that plan, last season and the season before, most of the means were directed from the P. E. Fund office. This season they have the best information at the office in Liverpool, or can obtain it, with regard to the condition and circumstances of the Saints, for which reason all the means we receive, except small amounts loaned to those who have nearly enough, and to be returned in time for this year's emigration, are forwarded to Liverpool, to be distributed as the authorities there may deem best. But with all our efforts since the close of last season, after paying off an indebtedness incurred in helping a number of Saints from the East who had been mobbed, we had only L112, or $543, to send to Liverpool for the April company. That would not emigrate one large destitute family; it is a mere drop in the bucket. But it was all we had; and we were obliged to instruct that the amount must not be exceeded, because we have no right to fall back upon the Trustee, and ask him to pay indebtedness incurred by the operations of the Fund. Will we be able to forward any money for the May company? Only a very small amount, so far as I know, though this rests with those who are due the Fund. Some may wish to know why the making of donations has not been urged more than it has. In 1869 there were so many assisted that it interfered with other arrangements, not known at the time; and before there were means for overcoming that difficulty, the financial crash of 1873 occurred. When I spoke to President Young about donations, he said: "Wait a while; the people are poor just now. Try and collect the indebtedness, as far as you can" And since then, among other reasons, I have not felt to solicit donations, because it is well known

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that there is a very large sum due to the Fund, so large that, if we could only receive one-half of it, we could gather all that any one would say ought to be gathered, and then have much money left to go on with; and were I to solicit aid under such circumstances; I am of the opinion that I might be advised to collect what is due to the Fund. And what could I say? I have yet to learn what I would be able to say. I deem the gathering of scattered Israel to be a part of the work that belongs to us as Latter-day Saints, in building up the Church and Kingdom of our God upon the earth. I think it is part of our labor, the same as building temples, sustaining the poor, sending missionaries abroad and sustaining their families when necessary, and all that tends to spread the principles of truth and righteousness the wide world over. But do I wish to give the gathering of the poor an undue share of the means, of the labor, and of the time that pertains to this great latter-day work? I do not know that I do. But I feel anxious for the debtors to the Fund to so far honor our God and themselves as to free themselves from this indebtedness as speedily as they may be able, and thus free the scattered poor from bondage, and bring them here to enjoy the blessings we enjoy; and I can not see how we are going to entirely escape a measure of the condemnation made known in the paragraph I have quoted, except we are a little more diligent in attending to these matters. And I trust you will not blame us when we entreat those who are able to pay their indebtedness to the Fund as soon as possible. God bless you. Amen.

PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR

In relation to the subject that I referred to this morning pertaining to the Co-op, I am informed that they are very busy with their affairs and have not had time to make any specific statement pertaining to this matter; but they feel disposed to unite with us in relieving the necessitous and worthy, as far as they would be justified in the premises, and in accordance with correct principles, to do their part. I would here remark that the same kind of feeling would be very commendable on the part of other store-keepers, bankers, of any one of us to relieve each other. I would make a statement in relation to the Co-op. I have had reports from the north, that some parties who ought to know better, had said that the Co-op. was no longer a Church institution, and that it was managed, directed and controlled by a few monopolists, and that we were asking the people to sustain them in their operations, which I consider very infamous talk, and especially coming from men who profess to be men of honor. The Church, I will here say, holds an interest in that establishment to the amount of $360,000, and then there are 580 stockholders, who are Latter-day Saints, in it, besides the interest which the Church holds. And when men make such statements I consider it infamous and

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contrary to correct principles; and I should recommend their bishops and the authorities of the Church where they live to bring them up for slander and treat them accordingly. That enterprise was started as is properly implied by the initials of its name. What is it? "Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution." They had for sometime difficulties to cope with; perhaps things might not have been managed as well as they could have been. There may have been errors in judgment. For sometime they did not pay dividends; but latterly they have paid what might be considered a fair dividend, and the Institution never was in a better condition than it is today. I speak of this that you who are stockholders in that institution may not be imposed upon by speculators who would seek by false representations to get from you your stock at less figures than it is really worth, I think it is our duty, as Latter-day Saints, to sustain that institution; and then, on the other hand, I think it is the duty of that institution to sustain the Saints, and let us get closer together in our relationship, and act honorably and uprightly in everything we engage in, then we can secure the blessing of the Almighty. I thought I would say so much in relation to this matter. In regard to the work we are engaged in, it is one of very great importance; it is one on which God and angels, apostles, prophets, patriarchs and men of God who have lived in the different ages of the world, have felt interested about; and do to-day. And about these little matters of dollars and cents we do not care so much about them or ought not to; although we have to attend to all these matters -- matters temporal, matters spiritual, things pertaining to time and things pertaining to eternity. It is expected of us that we act wisely, prudently and understandingly in all of our doings. And in speaking of the Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company's operations, we expect that all decent men will meet their obligations, and those who are not of that class will not. We will forgive the poor and let them go, and the others may go if they want to. But we will not release them from their indebtedness if they are able to pay it. Is not that just? I think it is. We will relieve the poor and needy; but as to those people who have called upon you -- and you have sent out your teams and have loaded those teams with provisions of all kinds, and you have either gone yourselves or sent your sons to drive them, to help them in, if those men do not feel like acting just and right, let them be considered among the unjust who have used your means which was appropriated by you to relieve the necessitous and have not had the honesty to return it, but as to the poor, the needy and distressed, we will come to their relief and help them, the same as we are obliged to go to God our Heavenly Father and ask him to help us, for we are all dependent upon the mercy of God, we live in him, we move in him, and to him we are indebted for our existence as well as for every blessing that we enjoy pertaining to time or eternity. He has revealed unto us the fullness of the blessings of the gospel of peace, he has taken our feet from the mire and clay and has planted us upon the rock of eternal truth, he has imparted unto us the light, intelligence and revelation of heaven, he has made us to sit together in heavenly places in Jesus Christ, he has taught us how to save ourselves and our families, how to save our progenitors and how to save our posterity. And we have this labor to perform. And if we have gone forth and assisted our brethren we have only done our duty, and what was there so much after all? Not much, we have simply performed a duty -- a duty we owed to God and our brethren. If we had not had the means we could not have given it, and having given it,

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we will continue to do the best we can and we will keep on doing, helping all, comforting all, relieving all, teaching all and seeking to promote the well being of the human family and to carry out the designs of God in the best manner that we can. One duty we owe to the world is to preach to them the gospel, and for that the priesthood is organized in part. The Elders are sent forth from time to time -- many that are around me on my right and left and also before me have gone forth "weeping, bearing precious seed," they have gone in the midst of persecution and affliction, to an unthankful world, to proclaim to the people the glad tidings of salvation, and they have "returned again rejoicing bringing their sheaves with them." And we are still doing the same, the Lord has laid it upon us and it must be done. And when we send out missionaries -- I was told that some did not hear what I said this morning upon this subject, I will try to make you all hear now -- when we send out missionaries we want you to see that their families are provided for in their absence, if they have not the means to do it themselves, stand by them and treat them kindly and provide them with the necessaries of life that they require, that they may be comfortable and made happy and be one with us, and while our brethren are engaged laboring abroad, notable to provide for their families, let us provide for them. And we call upon the presidents of Stakes, and upon the bishops and upon the people where they reside to see that these things are attended too, that the families of our missionary brethren are made comfortable and happy. Our brethren under these circumstances can feel contented and can go forth with satisfaction and joy. "Why," they will say, "we are going forth in the name of the Lord trusting in the God of Israel, and while we are gone we have left our families among our friends who will take care of them, and all is well and all will be well." When you do that they will bless you and you will be blessed in time and in eternity. It is a great privilege to be able to do good. Did you ever think of it? Jesus said, "Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations." Then let us feel after the welfare of our brethren, and we will not dwell much upon one another's weaknesses, for God knows that all of us have enough of them, at least, I feel I have, and I think my brethren feel that they have, and I do not think that many of you are very much better than we are. But I tell you what we desire to do and to see carried out. We wish correct principles to be carried out, and while we are sending the gospel to the nations afar off, we want to see the pure principles of the gospel lived up to at home. We do not want to be influenced by the corruptions that float upon us here. While we respect proper authority and pay proper deference to all honorable men in all positions in our country, we do not want to copy after the devices of this corrupt generation, we want them to keep them to themselves if they admire them. We neither want drunkenness nor whoredom nor infanticide nor foeticide nor any of the corruptions that abound throughout the world, or of this nation, of which every honorable man ought to and does feel ashamed. We want to train up our youth in the fear of God, and hence we have our Young Men's and Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Associations, which are doing a great deal of good throughout the land in teaching and being taught correct principles. It is our youth that are growing up that we shall have to look to, by and by, to bear off this kingdom, and we wish the fathers and mothers to set their children a good and proper example, to be patterns of purity, of

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honesty, truth, integrity and uprightness, that they may be able to meet and look every man in the face with a clear conscience and open countenance and not be obliged to dodge around corners for fear of some one seeing them and finding them out. There are no people under the heavens that make greater pretensions than we, there are no people under the heavens that have been more favored of God than we have been. We feel inclined sometimes to murmur and complain about the nation to which we belong. It is true they have not treated us very generously or very kindly in many respects, but the Lord seems to take care of us, and we do not suffer much do we? We enjoy more liberty to-day than millions of the inhabitants of the world do. And I do not know of any nation under the heavens where we would be better protected than we are here, thanks to many honorable men and thanks to the God of Israel who has delivered us and who has told us that he would watch over us and take care of us and provide for us, which he has done, and I feel grateful to him. For this, however, we are not under any obligations to our enemies, but no matter, if they can stand it we can. When I see men violating the sacred principles of liberty and trampling under foot the institutions of our nation, I feel to realize that they are the enemies of mankind and of the nation. I do not care what position they occupy. God will hold them to an account, as breakers of their own covenants. We will try, however, to maintain our own, and treat everybody right, and pray for all honorable men, and let the devil take care of the balance. (Laughter) This is how I feel in relation to these matters. We want among ourselves to learn strictly the principles of honesty, to have and maintain honest dealing one with another and be true to our word, and to let our word be our bond. And never mind so much about litigation. I do not know that I ever sued a man in my life, and I do not think that I ever shall. I am not fond enough of law, or money either, to do it. And God will help us and protect us in our rights, if we will only do right. And then we Latter-day Saints, we elders of Israel and we sisters of Israel, we ought to be ladies and gentlemen, we ought to treat one another with courtesy and kindness, and true politeness. Lord Chesterfield and others have written long treatises on politeness. I will tell you, in a few words, what it is to be polite: try to make everybody as comfortable and happy as you can, in all your words and in all your acts, and then you will be polite. Study the feelings of those with whom you are associated and those with whom you come in contact. And when a man meets an elder, why, says he, that is an honorable man, that man is anointed of the Lord, I will respect him, I expect to be associated with him in time and in eternity, and shall I degrade myself by speaking harshly or acting harshly towards him? No, but we will treat one another with kindness and courtesy. And we will treat our sisters in the same way, and act the part of gentlemen towards them, and protect them in all their rights and in all their privileges, and never be afraid that they are going to run away with some of our rights. When I hear people talk that way I think they are a little in doubt of themselves. Why, we expect our sisters -- our wives -- to be with us not only in time, but in eternity; and let us treat them accordingly, with kindness, with affection, with love and with esteem. And then let the sisters turn round and treat their husbands and brothers and fathers in the same way; and let us all cultivate those principles that are calculated to promote one another's happiness and peace, that it may reign in our own bosoms, and dwell in our habitations, and prevail throughout the land, that the peace of God

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and the blessing of God may rest upon us. And while we feel a disposition to do right and to keep the commandments of God, God will bless us and sustain us in all of our operations; and every plot and every contrivance devised against us will fall to the ground, for God will be our deliverer and our protector. Let us train up our children in the fear of God too, and watch over their morals, and especially the morals of our daughters, and see that they do not get led astray in the paths of iniquity; but watch over them and pray with them and for them; and pray for one another, and sustain one another, and help one another, and bless one another, and God will bless us. We are sending out persons to go and extend the borders of Zion, to make new settlements. I was very much pleased to hear some remarks made by Brother Woodruff in relation to these things, and the acts and doings of the brethren in Arizona, and of some of the new settlements south and southeast. There is a number of those settlements referred to by Brother Woodruff, the members of which we advised when they went, to come as near to the United Order as they could -- that is, to be united. Brother Woodruff says that in those new settlements he did not see a man drunk, he did not hear a man swear, neither did he see any person use tea or coffee. In this respect they are setting an example that it would be well for us to follow. And, then, do not pursue that licentious course exhibited around us here. It is this d -- d infernal "civilization" that has introduced these infamies into our midst. Let us purge ourselves from them, and not mix up with their ungodly doings. Excuse me for the remarks, but they are true before God; they are both damned and infernal, for those who practice them will be damned, and they are infernal, because they proceed from the infernal regions. I do not care who sustains them, whether governors, judges, priests, or whatever they may be; they are of their father, the devil, who sustains those things and maintains them. Those crimes are not original with us; they are brought here to try to corrupt and enslave and debase and pollute us. Keep yourselves pure from these corruptions, and walk worthily of the high vocation whereunto you are called. I heard the other day from one of our speakers that there were Elders, High Priests and Seventies who got drunk. What are the Bishops doing? What are the Presidents of Stakes doing? Why do you not bring them up and cut them off from the Church -- any such Elder, any such High Priest, or any such Seventy, or any of the Saints who may be found guilty of such thing? For they are hypocrites, and want dealing with and severing from the Church. Furthermore, I have heard of some Bishops who have been seeking to cover up the iniquities of men; I tell them, in the name of God, they will have to bear them themselves, and meet that judgment; and I tell you that any man who tampers with iniquity, he will have to bear that iniquity, and if any of you want to partake of the sins of men, or uphold them, you will have to bear them. Do you hear it, you Bishops and you Presidents? God will require it at your hands. You are not placed in position to tamper with the principles of righteousness, nor to cover up the infamies and corruptions of men. Now, do not say you did not know anything about it; I have given you fair warning, and I clear my skirts of your blood; and their infamies will cleave to you unless you attend to it.

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God expects us to do right; he has given unto us the priesthood for that purpose, and he requires us to magnify it and honor it and carry it out. And it is the place of those men, and the place of the teachers to see that there is no iniquity in the Church; and if they do not do their duty, it then becomes the duty of the Bishops to see to it; and if the Bishops do not see to it, it is the place of the Presidents of Stakes to see to it; and if they do not see to it, and it comes to our ears, it will then become our duty to see to it, and also to see to them who do not magnify their calling. God will not be mocked. "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap; if he sows to the flesh, he shall of the flesh reap corruption; if he sows to the spirit, he shall of the spirit reap life everlasting." We are gathered here to serve God; we are gathered here to be taught in the ways of the Lord; we are gathered here to build up temples, and then to administer in them; we are gathered here to send the Gospel to the nations of the earth, and to fulfil those various requirements which God has placed upon us to attend to; and if we are faithful in all our duties, God will bless us. I find that the time has expired. Shall we continue the Conference another day? All who desire to do so say aye. (The vast congregation responded "aye.") Choir sang the anthem, "Sing to the Lord a joyful strain." Adjourned till Thursday, at 10 a.m. Dismissed with prayer by Elder BRIGHAM YOUNG

THIRD DAY MORNING MEETING

THURSDAY, 10 A.M. Choir sang, "Praise ye the Lord, my heart shall join In work so pleasant, so divine." Prayer by Elder ORSON PRATT Choir sang,

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"Joy to the world -- the Lord will come, And earth receive her king."

ELDER LORENZO SNOW

We, as Latter-day Saints, profess to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, in the restoration of the fulness of the everlasting Gospel, in the restoration of the Holy Priesthood, with its privileges and powers, and in the restoration of the authority to administer to the sick, and to receive, through the medium of this Gospel which we have espoused, supernatural gifts and blessings, the Holy Spirit, which communicates a knowledge of things past, of things present and of things to come. And when we received this Gospel, we covenanted before God that we would be led, that we would be governed, and would follow the suggestions of the Holy Spirit, that we would follow the suggestions of the principle that gives life, that gives knowledge, that gives understanding of the things of God, that communicates the mind of God; and that we would labor for the accomplishment of the purposes of God in the salvation of the human family, adopting as a motto of life, "The Kingdom of God, or nothing." How far we have kept these covenants during the past fifty years, and followed the dictates of the Holy Spirit, we ourselves must be the judges. So far as we have done this, so far have the blessings of the Almighty descended upon us, and our minds have been enlightened, our understandings enlarged, and we have moved forward in the path of holiness, in the path of perfection, and which enables us this day to stand in the knowledge and power of God, and in the intelligence of heaven, just in proportion as we have observed the spirit of those covenants which we made at the waters of baptism; and just so far as we have failed in our faithfulness, in our adherence to our engagements, just so far have we been losers in this enterprise in which we have engaged to obtain eternal life, to obtain wisdom and knowledge and divine intelligence sufficiently to stem the tide of evils and temptations that surround us. And just so far as we have followed the suggestions of this divine spirit, have we experienced peace and joy to our souls, we have discomfitted the enemy, we have laid up unto ourselves treasures that moth and rust cannot destroy, so far have we forwarded ourselves in the path of the celestial kingdom; just so far have we secured ourselves the blessings and privileges that pertain to the celestial law. When these things were opened up to our view -- the principles of the Gospel and the glory of the celestial worlds -- it was then our privilege to enjoy its blessings to a certain extent, just as though we had been translated into the celestial worlds; it was our privilege to enjoy a certain amount of the blessings that pertain to those laws. And just so far as we have conformed to these laws that pertain to our temporal salvation, just so far as we have obeyed the instructions given to us in regard to our temporal union, just so far we stand in prosperity before God and before the world; just so far as we have been induced to open our hearts to display the principles of philanthropy in the exercise of our religion, just so far do we stand this day approved of the Almighty God; just so far have we secured the implements or the

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means to defend ourselves against the approaching evils; just so far in all our settlements, cities, towns or villages, as we have observed these laws that pertain to our temporal obligations, just so far has prosperity attended our exertions, and just so far as the spirit of union prevailed in our midst, and we have advanced ourselves in these principles. And just so far as we have ignored these things, just so far do we stand weak to-day before God and before the world. A sufficiency of information has been placed before us in the revelations of former days, in the revelations to us at the present time to guide us in all of our affairs, both spiritual and temporal, to guide us even to the celestial kingdom to receive of the fulness of the Father. If, after the expiration of fifty years, we as a community do not stand in that high relationship to God that we could wish, the fault is not in the Lord, it is not for the lack of information placed before us, but that lack is in ourselves; it arises from our ignorance or neglect, or from a desire, peradventure, to serve the spirit of the world instead of the Spirit of God. It is true, when we look upon the temporal position that thousands and tens of thousands occupied at the time we received this Gospel, and when we take into consideration the spiritual fetters by which we were bound, and the ignorance that attended us in our spiritual affairs at that time, we certainly may feel very thankful to the Lord for the progress we have made when comparing our present position with that we sustained when we received the Gospel; there must arise in our hearts the deepest gratitude to the Almighty for so far redeeming us spiritually and temporally as we find ourselves this day. For the progress we have made we are indebted to the blessings of God attending our diligence and faithfulness. And we should renew our covenants before God and the holy angels, that we will, God being our helper, serve him more faithfully during the ensuing year than we have in the past, that our public and private life, our actions and the spirit and influence we wield may be in keeping with the motto, "The Kingdom of God or nothing." I trust, my brethren, that we may devote ourselves entirely to the service of our God in the establishing of his Zion on the earth, zealously laboring in the interest of truth and righteousness on the earth, until it shall become a joy to us to be so engaged, that it may become second nature to us to serve God and keep his commandments, and to observe the celestial law, and that we may so enjoy the Holy Spirit in our hearts that we may overcome the world and establish the celestial law in our minds and establish it in our practice; that we may so understand ourselves and our privileges that we may in this life secure a considerable portion of the blessings that pertain to the celestial law, and which are to be enjoyed in the celestial glory. That so far as God gives us power in the earth, so far as he gives us possessions, houses and lands, flocks and herds, that these possessions shall become sanctified by our doings and actions and the manner in which we exercise ourselves in relation to them, that they may become sanctified, and that we may show ourselves worthy of the priesthood we possess, in establishing God's work, in establishing his laws and everything that pertains to the celestial glory, just so far as God gives us this power, that we may show to the heavens that we are worthy of this Gospel and this confidence that God has placed in us, in restoring to us the

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fulness of the holy priesthood. And now I will close my remarks by bearing my testimony to the knowledge of God that I have received in relation to this work. It is true. I received a knowledge of the truth of this work by a physical administration of the blessings of God. And when receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost I knew I was immersed in a divine principle that filled my whole system with inexpressible joy; and from that day to the present has blessing crowned my labors. And when baptizing people and administering the ordinances of this holy priesthood, God has confirmed those administrations by imparting the Holy Ghost, giving a knowledge to the individuals to whom I administered, convincing them that the authority was delegated from heaven. And every Elder who has gone forth to preach this everlasting Gospel, and acted in the spirit of his calling, can bear the same testimony, that through their administrations in these holy ordinances the glory and power of God has been made manifest in a convincing manner upon the heads of those to whom they have administered. This is our testimony; this was the testimony fifty years ago of a certain individual who stood forth and claimed that God had authorized him to baptize people for the remission of sins, and lay hands upon them for the reception of the Holy Ghost, which should impart unto them a knowledge from the eternal worlds that he had this authority. This person was Joseph Smith; and he conferred this authority, which was given unto him by holy angels, upon others who were sent forth to bear testimony to the world that those who would receive those holy ordinances, should receive the testimony from the Almighty that they were thus authorized to so administer. And this is our testimony; and this is my testimony before this people and before the world. And may God bless us; may he pour out his Spirit upon the Latter-day Saints. And may we be faithful in all of our labors, having the motto indelibly stamped upon our hearts, "The Kingdom of God or nothing." Amen.

ELDER WILFORD WOODRUFF.

"A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time." This is the word of the Lord through the Prophet Isaiah. Fifty years has made this little one not only a thousand, but more than one hundred thousand, and I do not think it will take half of fifty years more to make a strong nation: and if it were not for offending the ears of the Christian world, I would quote a word or two from the Prophet Daniel, where he says: "Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out of the mountains without hands, which smote the image upon his feet, that were of iron and clay, and break them to pieces. * * * And the stone that smote the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. * * * And it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever." I know it becomes offensive sometimes to the Christian world to quote the

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Bible, therefore I think I will not quote much more of it. But I wish to say this is the destiny of the kingdom of God which is planted here in the mountains of Israel. But I will take the liberty of asking a question; I would ask it of the Gentile world; I would ask it of the whole Christian world if I had a chance and an opportunity, and that is this: If this is the work of the Lord, and if the God of Israel has set up a kingdom, undertaken to establish a Church and a Zion, I wish to ask -- can the inhabitants of the earth help it? Can they hinder it? Can they stay the hand of the Lord? I wish the world to reflect upon these things. Or will the unbelief of the world make the truth of God without effect? Judge ye. Joseph Smith, while in Liberty Jail, while in chains and imprisoned, prayed to the Lord -- you will find it in the latter part of the book of Doctrine and Covenants, page 383 -- he prayed to the Lord and the Lord answered his prayer. He told him a great many things, among the rest that all things should be revealed in the days of the dispensation of the fulness of times, according to that which was ordained in the midst of the Council of the Eternal God of all other Gods, before the world was -- all these things should be revealed in the latter days. Now, says the Lord, "How long can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri River in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints." The powers of earth cannot stay the progress of his Church and kingdom, for God has decreed it. And I wish again to say a word or two that is upon my mind with regard to my present condition. I have read the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants a good many times, and they have brought me to a condition that I love to trace these revelations like the pyramidal histories that have written to the world that comes to an end pretty soon. And I am about in the same position as the farmer that sees his harvest ripe for the sickle. What must he do? He must go to work and cut it, or else it will go back into the ground; and that is the way I view the world to-day. It is fifty years since these revelations of God were revealed to man. Is not the world ripe? Is not the whole earth covered with whoredom, murder, blasphemy and abominations of every kind, until it rises up in the face of high heaven and before the Lord? What will be the result? The crop must be reaped; the harvest is at the door, it is ripe. The Lord said fifty years ago to Orson Pratt and others, "The field is ready for the harvest. Now, thrust in your sickle and reap, and any man who will may thrust in his sickle and reap." If we are not approaching a change, if the judgments of God are not to be poured out upon Babylon, and if there is not a change awaiting Zion, then I am at a loss concerning the fulfilment of the revelations of God; I have got about as far as I can go unless these changes are at the door. The coming of the Son of Man is near. The signs of heaven and earth have indicated this for many years; that is about where I am to-day; as an Elder of Israel, as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I can see no road before me unless I am looking for the judgment of God to be poured out upon the wicked, and the judgments will begin at the House of God, and it will go forth from them to the world. Now, a few words with regard to what Brother Taylor said. In the first place, these Apostles here are in the same position that Ezekiel was. The Lord said unto him, "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the House of Israel; therefore, hear the word of my

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mouth and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, thou shalt surely die; and thou gavest them not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul." So I say with regard to the Apostles here, as well as the Seventies and High Priests and Elders and Priests -- they are set here in these latter days upon the walls of Mount Zion as watchmen. I tell you we are under a mighty responsibility to God, and I tell you we cannot afford, as Apostles, as Seventies, as Elders, and as High Priests, to sit still and know that sin reigns in our midst, and not rebuke it; we can not do it, and be justified before the Lord. Another thing, if we as Apostles, bearing the holy priesthood, use that priesthood for any other purpose under heaven but to build up the Kingdom of God, if we do our power will fall like lightning from heaven. A good many men have undertaken this -- men high in the priesthood, even the Apostleship -- to build themselves up upon the authority of the priesthood. And where have they gone? You may say amen to their power and authority. They have lost their Bishopric and Apostleship. Let us reflect on these things. I say the same to myself. I say the same to the Apostles, Seventies and High Priests. You cannot use the priesthood for any other purpose under heaven but to build up the kingdom and do the will of God; and when you attempt to do otherwise your power will be taken from you. I wanted to say so much, and now I desire to say another thing. It is our jubilee year. I want to give an exhortation. I have heard things during this Conference that have had an effect upon my mind. I want to say to old and young who have been in the habit of doing anything that is not pleasing in the sight of God, it is time for us to lay aside these things. It is time for us to lay aside our whiskey, our tobacco, our drunkenness, and everything that lies in our path to hinder us in our duty, or we shall be under condemnation. High Priests, and Elders, and Apostles, or any other man, cannot bear this priesthood on the earth and revel and drink with the drunken. You cannot do it, it is too late in the day; if you do, your power will fall from you. I felt yesterday, while Brother Taylor was rebuking these things, to say, Amen. I know that Brother Taylor, as leader of this Church and Kingdom, can no more sit and hold his peace while these things are going on in Israel, than he can live without breathing. It is time for us to repent and turn away from all our evils. The responsibility of carrying forward this Kingdom is upon the shoulders of the Latter-day Saints. Now I will say a few words more, and then I will close. I have often been asked the question, what condition should a man be in order to receive a recommend to go through the Temple of the Lord? I will tell my feelings in regard to this matter, and if they are not correct, President Taylor and others of the Twelve can correct me. I believe it is too late in the day to send men to the Temple who make a daily use of whiskey, or other strong drinks, tobacco, &c., and there perform thee ordinances for their dead; it is not acceptable in the sight of the Lord God of Israel. If we are going to be saved, let us build up the Kingdom of God, let us be reasonable and live according to what we preach; let us live our religion. I do not believe that a man is fit to go into the temples of the Lord to administer these ordinances

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for the living and the dead, who will make a practice of drinking strong drinks. What do you drink? Whiskey? No; you drink strychnine; you drink tobacco and a great deal of absinthe, "blue ruin" and death; you drink anything under heaven but pure liquor. It can scarcely be said to exist in the land. The stuff that is sold deprives you of your agency, and gives the devil power over you; it does so with anybody who makes a practice of using this liquor and other intoxicants. No one who uses them is fit to administer in the ordinances of the House of the Lord. My own faith is that no one is fit to administer the sacrament, baptize the children of men, or administer in the House of God, unless he in a measure keeps the Word of Wisdom. The Spirit of God will not dwell in unholy temples. If we are going to build up the Kingdom of God, it is time we commenced to keep the commandments of God and live by every word that proceedeth from his mouth. Our responsibility is great. It is the Kingdom of God, it is no more nor less. It is the Church of Christ; it is the Zion of God that every prophet who has ever lived since the world began has seen in vision and declared our future history. The revelations of God in the Bible, Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants are being fulfilled. We are fulfilling them. And while we are here let us be faithful to God, the Great Elohim, the God of the Jews as well as the Gentiles. He looks to us and to nobody else. He looks to the Latter-day Saints. Why? Because nobody else has received the fulness of the everlasting Gospel; nobody else has taken hold to build up this kingdom. My faith and feeling about this matter is that we were appointed before the world was, as much as the ancient apostles were, to come forth in the flesh and take hold of this Kingdom, and we have it to do, or be damned. That is our position to-day. The eyes of the heavenly hosts are over us; the eyes of God himself and his son Jesus Christ and all those apostles and prophets who have sealed their testimony with their blood are watching this people. They visit you, they observe your works, for they know very well that your destiny is to build up this Kingdom, to build up Zion, sanctify it, sanctify the earth and prepare the world for the coming of the Son of Man. The judgments of God are at the door of the wicked; they cannot hinder them. The Lord will hold all men and all nations to an account for the deeds done in the body, and as Isaiah says in speaking of Zion, "The nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted." These are tremendous sayings. There are hundreds of the revelations of God, all of which are going to be fulfilled upon the heads of the inhabitants of the earth in the generation in which we are living. Be prepared, therefore, for that which is to come. There is a change at your door. There is a change at the door of this generation. The Lord is watching over you, and he will sustain his work. May God bless you. May he bless the Apostles, and clothe them with his power and with the revelations of Jesus Christ, for I will say as Brother Snow has said -- I know this is the Kingdom of God. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and he sealed his testimony with his blood. That testimony is in force upon all the world, and it will cost this generation just as much to shed the blood of the Lord's anointed to-day as it has cost the Jews for shedding the blood of Jesus Christ eighteen hundred years ago. The Jews have been scattered, they have been under the bondage of the Gentiles for all these years, and they have

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until recently been denied all political rights. But the Lord is about to restore them. This is the Kingdom of God. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The heavenly hosts are preparing themselves to help the fulfilment of the revelations that are recorded in these records. The Lord raised up President Young to lead this Church, which he led for a generation. He has now passed behind the vail, where he labors with other Apostles who have furnished their testimony on the earth. The Lord has raised up President Taylor. The spirit of wisdom is with him. The Lord is blessing him and blessing his brethren. The Lord will stand by us and sustain us if we keep his commandments. I pray God to bless you and to bless Zion, that we may have power to bring these principles home to our hearts, to comprehend in a measure the responsibilities resting upon us, for I will say there never was a generation since the creation in which the responsibility of the Apostles and Elders was greater than that in which we live. I am thankful that I have lived to see this day. I have sometimes said I have felt lonesome. I look around me and find Joseph and Hyrum and a great share of the Twelve have been taken away. They are now in the spirit world. We soon shall go there too -myself, Brother Taylor, Brother Pratt and many of us are getting grey-headed -- we shall soon pass to the other side of the vail; but let us do our duty while we are here, and all the rest, old and young, that we may inherit eternal life through Jesus Christ. Amen.

ELDER ORSON PRATT

I do feel with all my heart to thank the Lord our God for the blessings conferred upon this people. Our year of Jubilee, if we may so term it, is past. We entered upon it the sixth day of April, 1879 -- last Tuesday was the end of it. We are now living in the fifty-first year of the organization of this Kingdom. At the close or near the close of this first half century, the Lord has been very kind and merciful in behalf of the poor; he has put it into the hearts of his servants to administer liberally and bountifully for their good. It is to be hoped that the fiftieth year will not close up those great and good acts, on the part of the Church, as well as on the part of individuals in the Stakes of Zion, for and in behalf of the poor: but that the good work may continue, and that all the poor and the needy may be supplied, so far as circumstances will permit, with the necessaries of life. So much upon that subject. In regard to the future, it has been a duty devolving upon me, in connection with hundreds of others, to declare not only the Gospel, but to portray before the people future events. There are great things in the future, and we are sometimes apt to forget them. We have been looking, for some time past, for the Lord to accomplish and fulfill the times of the Gentiles; or the times allotted to them, during which the testimonies of his servants should

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go forth among them; or in other words, the times of the warning of the Gentile nations, the gathering out of their midst, a few here and there, of the believing Gentiles, away from the corruptions of Great Babylon, preparatory to the destructions that are to be poured out without measure upon the Gentile nations. These things have been sounded so long in the ears of the Latter-day Saints, that I have sometimes thought they have become like a pleasing song, or like a dream, and that they scarcely realize that these great events are at hand, even at the doors. But if we can depend upon the word of the Lord, if we can depend upon the predictions recorded in the Scriptures of truth -- if we can depend upon modern revelation which God has given -- there is a time of tribulation, of sorrow, of great judgment, of great wrath and indignation, to come upon the nations of the earth, such as has not been since the foundation of the world. And these things are not far off, but are near at hand, and who, in that day, that has any sympathy in their hearts, any feelings of humanity, but will mourn and sorrow Over the calamities that will fall upon the nations. I know that these things are true. I have known these things ever since the autumn of 1830; and I know that God will fulfil his word, and that the day is almost at our doors, when God will pour out his indignation, without measure, upon the nations of the earth; and they will be swallowed up with judgments and calamities of all kinds and descriptions. I have sometimes reflected upon a new witness that the Lord seems to have brought to light, by the opening of the Great Pyramid of Egypt. There are many things revealed by the opening of that Pyramid, nearly 3000 years after it was built, that are great and marvelous, so far as I can understand them. There seems to be a prophetic spirit running through the construction of all that vast superstructure, pointing forward to the very end. Among the great events clearly portrayed by that Pyramid, was the organization of this Church on the sixth of April, 1830. This is expressed in the construction of the "GREAT STEP," in the Grand Gallery of that Pyramid. Time was measured in that ascending gallery by sacred cubit inches. The measurement from the birth of Christ to the upper edge of the "Step," which terminates the ascending passage, was exactly 1829 cubit inches, and the fraction of another inch; that is, a little over the twenty-sixth hundredth part of an inch. Allowing one year to a cubit inch, it gives the sixth of April, 1830, as the exact time, corresponding to the upper edge of the "Grand Step." At this point the Gallery ceases to ascend, and the passage becomes horizontal. This points out the very period of time when the Church was organized, and the very day and month and year. Sixty-one cubit inches are measured off, from that point in a horizontal direction, until you come to the great impending wall, the end of the Gallery. What that means, I do not pretend to know. It may mean the closing up of the times of the Gentiles. Sixty-one years from the organization of the Church brings us, according to pyramidal testimony, to the end of something. Whether these pyramidal symbols are divine or not, there is one thing that I do know is true, namely, that the generation in which the fulness of the Gospel -- the Book of Mormon -- was brought forth, is the generation that will close up the times of the Gentiles. That I know, if I do not know much about the Pyramid. I know the former by revelation. I know that the days of the Gentiles are but very few; the end of the dispensation to them is now drawing very near to a close. God has revealed this work. His arm was made bare in the restoration of this Church. His arm was made bare in sending

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his angels from heaven to restore the everlasting priesthood and authority to the children of men. His power was made manifest in the organization of the Kingdom that must stand forever. These things are not a matter of opinion with me. I know them to be true. God revealed them to me in my youth. I have known them from that day to this. And the work of God will prosper, will prevail, will accomplish that whereunto it is sent, until every nation under heaven shall receive sufficient warning, and then will come the terrible, the dreadful downfall of Great Babylon. Awake, therefore, O ye inhabitants of Zion! Awake to the importance of your duties! Awake to the duties of the everlasting priesthood which has been conferred upon you by the servants of the living God. Seek after God with all your hearts, with all your souls, and with all your might, mind and strength, that you may be prepared for the events that are in the future, not only to be preserved when the great desolations of Babylon shall take place, but also to be partakers in all the blessings ordained to be bestowed upon Zion in the latter days. Awake for the redemption of Zion is very near, when this people shall possess again their inheritances upon the promised land; when this people shall erect unto the Lord a house and build up that city called Zion, wherein the glory of our God shall be made manifest upon all the inhabitants that are counted worthy to dwell in the midst thereof. May God bless this Conference and the Latter-day Saints everywhere-upon the mountains, in the valleys, and throughout the Territories where they dwell; that the Spirit of the living God may be with us, with our wives, with our children, and with all who desire to serve the living God; that the destroyer may be rebuked from our midst, and that we may rise up as the children of Zion, and do the work which the Lord our God requires at our hands. Amen.

ELDER CHARLES C. RICH

I am thankful for the opportunity of making a few remarks before the close of the Conference. The Lord has certainly poured out upon us a goodly degree of his Holy Spirit, and we have received instructions which, if observed and carried out in our lives, will be of everlasting benefit and salvation to us as Saints of the Most High God. There are certain things that we are in duty bound at all times, to bear in mind and never lose sight of, and one of those things is, the requirement of the Lord that his Saints should become one. This lesson has been taught to us from the very beginning until now, and in it is involved the strength of this people. It is a lesson that should first be taught and acted upon in the family of every Latter-day Saint; and whenever difficulties arise between neighbors, families, or settlements, the first step to be taken by all the parties concerned should be to amicably settle the same, and from that time seek to do better, to be more respectful to another's feelings, and to really become united as Saints of the Most High in the

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bonds and the covenants of peace. Therefore, my beloved brethren and sisters, let us take this matter in hand and see to it; see to it that we labor, every man in his individual capacity, to become united, and this, too, by laying aside our faults, our follies and our imperfections; and as far as possible seek to build up the Kingdom of God on the principles revealed unto us from heaven. For most assuredly he will not accept of us or our labors on any other terms than those which he himself has dictated. And, again, among other things of importance required of us, as a community, and which is the work of to-day, is the building of temples in which to receive certain blessings essential to our salvation and exaltation in his celestial kingdom. He has ordained from before the foundation of our world, and has revealed this fact to us in our day, that his people can only receive from him certain blessings in certain places -- having a special reference to those sacred buildings we call temples; and for this reason are we required to perform this work. We have been reminded that the time of the end draws near, so near, indeed, that there is no time to spare; and this labor is required of us and will have to be performed in a proper time. The Lord said to this people at an early day, that if the Saints did not perform a certain work by a certain time -- referring to the building of the Nauvoo Temple -- that they should be rejected, and also their dead. Inasmuch as we were not rejected, and now have time and opportunity, let us use the time and improve the opportunity to the best advantage and of our ability to perform the work which he requires of us, and labor while it is called to-day. I feel that we are a blessed people, that the Lord has poured out upon us choice blessings in rich abundance, and inasmuch as we prove ourselves worthy to receive them on the terms which he has proposed, we will find that our Heavenly Father is abundantly willing and able to bestow, for surely there is no good thing that will then be withheld from us. But I have sometimes thought, judging from the actions of some, that they expect to realize the much desired blessing of the future on their own terms, as it suits them; it would seem that this was the case with some of our brethren, who seemingly want to do nothing unless it suits their individual feelings, overlooking partially, if not entirely, the great fact, that we have enlisted to do nothing but the will of our Father as it is and shall be made known to us through the proper authority. Nor does it matter to us, as his faithful servants, what that will may be, whether to build temples or anything else, we should engage with our whole heart in the work required of us. The results of the labors of this people for half a century are before the world, which, although wrought in much weakness, and ofttimes in poverty and distress, have been, under the blessing of a merciful, a just and allwise God, crowned with success; and on this, the occasion of our jubilee year just closed, I, in common with my brethren, raise my heart and voice in praise to him who lives and rules in the heavens above, and in testimony to this being his work, even the work to be developed in the latter days, so often spoken of in holy writ. And I repeat what has been said that the judgments are nigh, even at the door, and this work is going to be fulfilled. Let us open our eyes and ears, that we may see and hear as the wise virgins, that we may rightly comprehend the nature of the work to be performed, not in some other generation, but in the generation in which we live.

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I bear my testimony to the truth of what we have heard in relation to the judgments of God that are to come upon the earth, as well as in relation to the truthfulness of this latter-day work. This testimony was given to me many years ago, having embraced the Gospel as early as the year 1832, when the Lord opened the vision of my mind and manifested to me that it was of him, and that it was the commencement of that work which should eventually "fill the whole earth." I know this to be true to-day, and have known it and testified, whenever opportunity afforded, to its truthfulness ever since that early day; and I bear testimony of it this day before you, my brethren and sisters, and to all the world, that this is verily the work of God, and that he will fulfil the words that have been spoken to us his Saints concerning all things coming on the earth. And to the Latter-day Saints I would say, inasmuch as we treasure up in good and honest hearts the principles and words of life which God has revealed, and live in consonance with them, we have nothing to fear; on the contrary, the faithful will rejoice, not in the downfall of the disobedient and wicked, but in the realization of the promised blessings in which they will rejoice, both in time and eternity. Then, my beloved brethren and sisters, let us awaken to the warnings we hear from time to time, and especially cherish the Spirit, and ponder over and improve upon the instructions of this Conference, for they are true and faithful, and to this you, as well as I, can testify. And when we go to our homes let us carry with us and impart the spirit of this Conference to our brethren and sisters of the several Stakes who have not been present, that they also may take warning and square their lives according to the principles of the everlasting Gospel, laying aside everything that is wrong, and doing that which is right in all things pertaining to our religion, as Saints of the Most High God. And that we may pursue that course which will guarantee unto us all the blessings of the new and everlasting Covenant, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

ELDER ERASTUS SNOW

St. Paul once said, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." He said this to the ancient Saints in reference to the spirit of hatred and persecution raging in the world against the Apostles and their followers. I have sometimes thought, when we hear and read of the vituperation and lies abroad in the earth concerning this people, when we see how they are misrepresented and slandered, it would seem as if the flood gates of hell were opened to swallow them up, and we might at times almost despair were it not for the assurance that we feel that God is with us, that the Lord of Hosts is our God, and he has led us until the present time, and we are encouraged to continue our efforts and labors with the feeling and assurance that he has not departed from us, that he has not cast us off, notwithstanding our follies and the many evils in our midst, and notwithstanding that the servants of God are called upon to speak by way of reproof and ofttimes to rebuke

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with sharpness. God has spoken by one of the ancient prophets in this wise: "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." The word of the Lord, though it be sharp like a two-edged sword, has salvation in it. It is the power of God unto salvation to all them that believe, and by the sharpness of the word of God are we brought to comprehend ourselves, to see ourselves as God sees us, and to purge evil from our midst. And it becomes us to lay to heart the word spoken, and it should begin with the Apostles, Presidents of Stakes, Bishops, the Presidents of Quorums, and heads of families and run through all the organizations of society, and the spirit of repentance, of reformation and of purification should flow in our midst, flow through the people in all our organizations until every man, woman and child shall feel that the Spirit of God rests upon them; we should put away evil, and endeavor to overcome the world, to withstand the influences of the hosts of hell, to resist the example of evil minded persons, to resist temptations of pride and vanity, and cease to be hypocritical; in other words, to be honest before God and one another, for his eye is upon us. Our ways are openly known unto him. It becomes not his people to seek to hide their ways from the Lord. Hypocrites do this. Many of the Gentile Christians do this, as did many of the ancient Jewish Pharisees, for which they were rebuked with severity by the teachings of the Savior. None of us need think that we shall be benefitted by covering up our uncleanness and expect that we shall be sanctified by the outer ordinances of the temple of our God, when the inner man is corrupt. There is power in all the ordinances of God's house to all those whose hearts are clean, who accept the ordinances of God in faith and with purity of purpose. The Gospel of Christ is a savor of life unto life to all those that receive it in honest hearts, while it is a savor of death unto death to all those that reject and handle the truth in unrighteousness. So with all the ordinances pertaining to the priesthood. They bring condemnation to the hypocrite and evil doer, while they bring sanctification to those who are clean in spirit. And the priesthood which we have received with the keys and ordinances thereof can only be received and handled in connection with the powers of heaven, and on principles of truth and righteousness. The Lord has restored all the keys of this priesthood unto Israel in the last days through his servant Joseph by the hands of the ancients who held the priesthood before him, who bore the keys of the kingdom when they were upon the earth in ancient times; the Apostles Peter, James and John, and John the Baptist, from whom he received the priesthood pertaining to the gospel of repentance and baptism for the remission of sins and the promise that this priesthood should not again be taken from the earth until the sons of Levi should be purified and all that was promised Israel should be fulfilled; and however much individuals may fall away from Zion and forfeit their blessings, however much men may apostatize from the truth, and iniquity abound, and the love of many wax cold, yet the Lord will work in the midst of his people, turning and overturning, rebuking and cleansing, until he has performed all he has promised. And when the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled, the power of God will be made manifest in the redemption of the House of Israel. As it is written, "And so all Israel shall be saved. There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob." Knowing this, the Apostle Paul says to the Romans, who were Gentiles, "Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God; on them which fell severity; but toward thee, goodness, if

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thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." This is the work which God has commenced on the earth, to fulfil the promises made to Abraham concerning his seed, and the promises made to Joseph concerning his seed, the degenerate sons of America, among whom God is working in his own marvelous and wonderful manner, preparing their hearts for the changes that await them in accordance with his promises, when the cup of iniquity shall be filled up in the midst of the Gentiles, and his judgment shall be poured out upon them to break them in pieces as a potter's vessel is broken. We are witnesses of these things and know the things whereof we speak, and we rejoice in the manifestation of the spirit bearing witness of these things among the people of God, and though there are many who are negligent in duty, dark in their understanding, covetous in their hearts, worldly minded and cling to this world and are more or less beset therewith, yet the Lord is working in the midst of his people; for poor, frail, feeble, faulty, sinful as we are, taken as a whole, we are the best the Lord has been able to find, and therefore he is not disposed to cast us off, but to reprove, admonish and instruct, that he may make us what he has called us to be in deed and in truth, saints of the last days. May God help us to keep our covenants, cleanse ourselves from sin, our hearts from all hypocrisy, our persons, our habitations, our towns and our cities; and may our municipal officers as well as our ecclesiastical officers have wisdom, strength, power, nerve, and energy to stem the current of crime, to check the progress of drunkenness, whoredom, profanity, and all manner of abomination, and execute judgment and justice in the land with firmness, vigor, and strength; and may God bless every officer of the law who magnifies his calling with soberness, diligence, and honesty, and every Apostle, President, Bishop, Elder, Priest, Teacher and Deacon who labors to put away evil from himself, his household and the community, and every mother in Israel who teaches her children righteousness and faith, and every organization for the improvement of the rising generation. May grace and peace be multiplied upon them through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

ELDER FRANKLIN D. RICHARDS

Forty-two years next June I had become convinced of the truth of the principles of the Gospel that had been taught to me, at the age of seventeen years; having received the word from the testimony of our aged veteran Joseph Young, sen, president of the Seventies, in my native State, Massachusetts. I found the principles of the Gospel very harmonious to my feelings, although very much opposed to the views of my friends and neighbors. It offered to me the ancient blessings restored, if I would but receive them. I considered the matter carefully and prayerfully, and ascertained that there was but one way of finding out positively whether the Gospel was true or not, or whether what was taught to me as the gospel was indeed such; and that the whole subject was made to turn upon the saying of the

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Savior, "If any man will do His (the Father's) will he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself." And finding that there was only one way to come to a demonstration of the matter fairly and honestly, I concluded that if those gifts and blessings were restored to the human family, which were anciently given God's people to enjoy, I wanted to obtain them even at the risk of expatriation from my family, my friends and associates upon rendering a penitent obedience to the ordinance of baptism for the remission of my sins. The Lord answered my prayers, blessed me with an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and gave me a certain revelation therewith, which made me to know that he took cognizance of me personally, and that this was none other than the great work of God. From that time I have never seen the moment that I doubted or felt uncertain or fearful concerning the progress of the work, or the ultimate triumph of its outcome. I have not only received such testimony, but also many of the various manifestations of the Spirit recorded in the Bible and promised in the revelations which mankind have a right, through obedience and faithfulness in this mortal life, to enjoy. The gifts of prophecy, of tongues and the interpretation of tongues, of healing and being healed, and a great variety that we will not take time to enumerate, even to the casting out of devils. These gifts and blessings, signs and mercies, have been bestowed upon not only myself, but upon my brethren of the Council, the faithful Elders, and the Saints generally. It is no strange thing among us that any one enjoys these blessings, all of them having been promised unto those who believe and obey the Gospel message. It is only to be wondered at that more of us do not get nearer to God and realize more of them than we do; it is the only or greatest regret that I have to- day that any unfaithfulness on my part in the performance of my duties should hinder me from participating more fully in the enjoyment of God's favors, and advancing more rapidly in the knowledge of himself and of his ways. A man in this Church, who is an Elder in Israel, must have a degree of heroism if he is determined to be a servant of God, he must know what it is to be able to stand up in the spirit and power of his calling under all circumstances. God requires him to live and serve him with all his heart, with all his mind, might and strength; and to give himself wholly unto the work to Which he has been called, and to have no other business on hand except those things which are subservient to the interests of his Church and Kingdom. I want to say to the brethren, that we as Elders in Israel have come not only to prophecy but to revelation; I testify to you that while you are sustaining the Twelve Apostles as such -- as the presiding quorum, and as prophets, seers and revelators in the Church of Christ, that your faith and prayers are not in vain, that God is answering them, that he is fulfilling them in your brethren of that quorum, and you will see from time to time more abundantly the fruits, blessings and powers resulting therefrom in a greatly increased degree. Therefore, continue your union, your faith, and prayers, and God will multiply his blessings still more abundantly upon us all. There is more union among the brethren of the Council, there is more love and fellowship existing among them, they are increasing in those graces and qualities which made the bonds of brotherhood strong and powerful to resist successfully the encroaching powers of darkness, and to become strong in the name of our God -- to accomplish all the

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work required at our hands. Those graces we see most abundantly shining forth in the ministration and counsel of President John Taylor who is our leader. I want to say, for the benefit of strangers present, that this work in which we are engaged, is the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times, in which God has promised to gather together in one all things in Christ, be they things of heaven or things of earth, or, he might have said all persons and things, for that is the fact. All Christendom has become permeated with the belief that the second advent of the Savior is approaching and not very far off, so, also, the spirit of gathering has commenced, and if you will have your eyes open and watch the signs of the times, you will see that the spirit of the gathering is becoming more and more widespread, and is reaching Israel in all their abidings; they are becoming interested in and waked up to the importance of their gathering together. It is not only an item of news that the Israelites have got hold of the land of Canaan, but it is a commencement of the work that will gather the house of Judah and restore their land to fruitfulness -- a land which will become glorious; and the House of the Lord which is to be built there is to be far more glorious than the former one. Not only that, but the heavenly tocsin is sounding to the Ten Tribes, and they are preparing themselves to come forth and make manifest the power of God and be established with his people upon the land of Zion promised. And if any of you doubt it, enquire among the Indians of our land and you will find that they are having dreams and visions from above, and are beginning to enquire after the word of God, and to wonder whether they are cast off and forsaken, and to be crowded quite into the sea, or whether the promises made to their race by their ancient prophets and patriarchs shall be fulfilled as recorded in the Book of Mormon. The Lord has commenced his work and it has taken a firm footing in the earth, and he has assured us that he will carry it on; and although we are frowned upon by forty millions of people who tell us that we cannot live and exercise ourselves in all the ordinances and institutions of Christ's Church in this land; let me tell you there are a hundred times forty millions in yonder heavens who are watching over and urging us to perform the heavenly requirements made to us from on high. Which do you think we shall give heed to? One of ancient times, when he thought that appearances were rather threatening, began to manifest considerable concern. And the prophet Elisha, seeing the timidity of the young man, prayed unto the Lord to open his eyes. Whereupon, we are told, that he saw the mountain on which he stood was filled with horses and chariots of fire encircling the prophet round about, demonstrating to his entire satisfaction the words of his master which were uttered just previously, namely, that "they that be with us are more than they that be with them," the forty millions to the contrary notwithstanding. Hence then, whom shall we obey? My brethren and sisters, let us obey and serve the Most High God, hearken to his counsels and keep the commandments which he has given unto us, even every word that proceeds from his mouth, including the "word of wisdom" which he in his goodness has made known to us, for anything that is worthy for him to give unto us is worthy for us to keep in the most

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Sacred manner. Now let me say to the poor -- for this conference has been fraught with blessing unto them -- you who shall be forgiven your back indebtedness upon tithing, commence anew to tithe yourselves; be men of God, take hold of that duty and henceforth live determined to honor it with other requirements in the Church. The Savior anciently said, in speaking to the Jews, "If ye were the children of Abraham, you would do the works of Abraham." One of the most prominent features of father Abraham's life was to leave his native land, and go to a land which he knew not of, but which the Lord should show him. And having done this, there was a time when he was met by the minister of God, Melchisedek, when he was on his return from a triumphant victory over certain kings, on which occasion Melchisedek congratulated him on his success, when he, as if to reciprocate this minister's kindness, "gave him tithes of all," which law of tithing, if you please, he handed down to his generations after him. Let us regard it in like manner, for it is a standing law unto us upon this land. And if we do not live it and carry it out, with all other requirements, this, we are told, shall not be a land of Zion unto us. And unto the brethren who shall be released from their P. E. Fund indebtedness, I would say, lift up your hearts and be glad, take fresh courage when you are released from that obligation, and endeavor to make yourselves more useful. Strengthen yourselves in the name of the Lord; let the weak say, I am strong; and let all the people know that the Lord Most High is our God, and let us give ourselves wholly to his service. Let the poor rejoice in the kindness and liberality of God and their brethren to them. Let the rich be glad that God has given unto them the means whereby they can bestow blessings upon the poor. God requires in his mercy that they who have an abundance shall impart with a kindly regard for the destitute, or his blessing will not rest upon them and their substance. My brethren and sisters, by the authority of the apostleship God has bestowed upon me, I feel to bless you in all your interests, your wives and children and all that pertain to you, your fields, your orchards and gardens, your flocks and herds; hoping and praying that we may become more abundantly devoted to him, and that he may accept of us and lead us forth from faith to faith, and from grace to grace until the little stone rolls down from the mountains and fills the whole earth. May God preserve us in the faith as he has hitherto done, and help us to do his biddings so long as we dwell in the flesh, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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ELDER JOSEPH F. SMITH

I can bear testimony to the discourses we have had this morning. And I can also bear testimony to the great latter-day work in which we are engaged, for I know it to be the work of God. In regard to the remarks of Brother Pratt, respecting the judgments of God that are about to be poured out upon the nations, if the people will take the trouble to read the predictions of the prophets concerning them, especially those referred to by the angel Moroni, when conversing with the Prophet Joseph Smith, at the opening up of this dispensation, I think they will be thoroughly satisfied and convinced, if they have any faith at all, that these coming judgments are not matters of mere speculation or supposition, nor of tradition handed down from remote ages, but that they are matters of fact, or will be ere long, when God shall consummate his designs against the wicked and ungodly of the world. For not only have prophets and inspired men declared these things, but they have been declared by the voice of the Lord, and by holy messengers sent from the presence of God, as well in modern as in ancient times. The Angel Moroni, who visited Joseph Smith on the 21st of September, 1823, quoted the Scriptures concerning these judgments, and declared that the predictions of the prophets had not yet been fulfilled, but that they would be in this dispensation, and that the beginning was now at hand, even at the door. Among these quotations I would like to call your attention to Malachi, second chapter: "Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me," etc. "But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap, and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver," &c. "And I will come near to you to judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from the right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of Hosts." And again, Malachi, 4th chapter -- all of which was quoted by Moroni-"For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be as stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." Again, Moroni quoted the 11th chapter of Isaiah, in which are these words on this subject: "But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked." Again, Acts, 3rd chapter, 22nd and 23rd verses -- quoted by Moroni just as they read in the New Testament -- " A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you. * * * Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you, and it shall come to pass that every soul which will not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from among the people." Now this is strong language, and to the point. Moroni declared that this prophet was Christ at his second coming; that this

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scripture was not fulfilled, but was about to be fulfilled in the literal coming of the Son of Man to reign upon the earth and to execute judgment upon the world. Moroni also quoted Joel, 2nd chapter, 28th to the 32nd verses, declaring that this scripture was also shortly to be fulfilled: "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke, &c. And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered, for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call." Now, it seems to me that none of the interest or importance of this vital subject are lost in the fact that we are not left to the traditions of the fathers nor to the written word solely, nor to any uncertain means for the verification of these predictions, but rather our interest should be awakened from the fact that an angel from heaven, an actual messenger from the presence of God, has re-iterated these very predictions to man on the earth in this generation. Some of these passages of scripture quoted by the angel were presumed to have been fulfilled in the days of the ancient apostles. Thus the world was in ignorance respecting them. All uncertainty upon this subject is now, however, dispelled, and the truth is made plain to all. For Moroni declared to Joseph Smith that these scriptures had not been fulfilled, but that the set time had come when they would be fulfilled, every whit, and the coming of Christ, the execution of the judgements, and the ushering in of the final reign of peace therein referred to, should be consummated in this dispensation. The power of the wicked nations of the earth will be broken. Thrones shall totter, and kingdoms fall, while Zion shall arise and shine, and put on her beautiful garments, and be clothed with power, wisdom, majesty and dominion upon the earth. Babylon must fall to rise no more. As a servant of the Lord I have received a testimony in relation to these things, and in connection with my brethren I am thankful to have the privilege of bearing that testimony, which I do in all solemnity before God and man, and am willing and ready to meet the consequences, If I continue faithful, at the bar of final judgment. And I further testify, that unless the Latter-day Saints will live their religion, keep their covenants with God and their brethren, honor the priesthood which they bear, and try faithfully to bring themselves into subjection to the laws of God, they will be the first to fall beneath the judgments of the Almighty, for his judgments will begin at his own house. Therefore, those who have made a covenant with the Lord by baptism, and have broken that covenant, who profess to be saints and are not, but are sinners, and covenant-breakers, and partakers of the sins of Babylon, most assuredly will "receive of her plagues," for it is written that the righteous will barely escape. This is my testimony in relation to these matters. We rely upon the word of the Lord in these things, and not upon the word of man, for not only has angels, but God Almighty has spoken from the heavens in this our own age of the world, and we know his word is true. That we as a people may be prepared not only for the judgments, but for the glory and coming of our Lord, that we may escape the calamities to be poured out upon the wicked, and receive the welcome plaudit of the faithful servant, and be counted worthy to stand in the presence of the Lord in his glorious kingdom, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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ELDER ALBERT CARRINGTON

In several places in the Book of Mormon you have read, or can read, that our Father in the heavens, in revealing his will concerning the inhabitants of North and South America, made known that inasmuch as they would keep His commandments they should prosper; but inasmuch as they did not keep his commandments, they should be cut oft from his presence. Do we flatter ourselves that we are naturally better than our brethren and sisters, of the numerous family of Adam, who lived in the days of the Jaredites, or in the days of the Nephites? They were wealthy and powerful nations, and when they worked righteousness, observing the will of our kind, wise Father in the heavens, they prospered exceedingly; but as they transgressed the requirements designated for their welfare, they dwindled to destruction. We, as Latter-day Saints, are under the same requirements as have been all previous occupants of this continent, to whom the everlasting Gospel has been preached, to seek unto, love and serve the Lord our God, if we would be kindly regarded by Him. Do we flatter ourselves that we will be so regarded in any other course? If so, we are unwisely deceiving ourselves. I rejoice in the great blessings we have enjoyed during this Conference. I rejoice in the strength, power and truthfulness of the testimonies we have been blessed with. I rejoice in observing the increase of that spirit of union that we must attain to, to be indeed Saints of the Most High God. And I feel to add my testimony to the testimonies of my brethren, that this great latter-day work is verily the work of the true and living God, and He will carry it on to victory over all the opposition of the powers of earth and evil. This every faithful Latter-day Saint knows, whatever the world may think or imagine to the contrary; however much they may oppose in their blindness, through waywardness, stupidity and ignorance in the midst of their fancied intelligence and power. The Lord our God is infinitely more powerful than the numbers and powers of earth and darkness combined, and we have only to be careful to be His Saints, and all will be well with us. We know this, and I would that our brethren and sisters of the world would wisely realize these facts. When I look forward to the near future, that has been so much spoken of in this our day, and so plainly prophesied of from the beginning, and contemplate the terrible calamities that are to befall those who reject the Gospel and oppose the work of God, do I feel in the least to exult over their downfall? I feel that it will be a day of sorrow and mourning; that it will be painful even to hear the report of the going forth of the wise and just judgments of our Father upon the heads of the wicked -- those of our fellow-beings who have preferred to do evil.

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I take great pleasure in being able to add my testimony to the testimonies of my brethren to the fact, which all the world cannot truthfully gainsay, that Joseph Smith was and is a true prophet of the true and living God; that he died, as he had lived, honoring and glorifying our Father in Heaven; that he laid the foundation of this great work, in which we are engaged, broad and deep, according to the mind and will of God, and consummated every requirement which devolved upon him. That we may be and continue faithful, and be saved with a complete salvation in the Celestial Kingdom of our God, I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

ELDER MOSES THATCHER

Would it not be well, my brethren and sisters, to reflect, after the close of this Conference, in reference to our individual acts during our past experience in the Church? Would it not be well to ask ourselves the question whether we shall be prepared in the future to receive that measure which we have meted out to others; whether we shall be satisfied with that judgment with which we have judged others; whether we have followed the whisperings of the Spirit of God; whether we have been humble, prayerful, faithful and true? It would be well for us, I think, to reflect upon these points, and wherein we are satisfied we have not lived up to our privileges, let us as tar as possible make amends and start again, rejoicing before the Almighty. I am pleased to be able to add my humble testimony to those to which you have listened this morning. I know that this is the Church of Christ. I know that we have Prophets, Seers and Revelators. I know that every blessing which the Lord Jesus Christ has promised is within the reach of this people, if they will live so that they can claim them. I can bear my testimony that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God; that he with his natural eyes saw the face of angels; that he heard the voice of God; that he heard the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ; and that he received the Aaronic and Meldhisedek priesthood. I can bear my testimony that he sealed his testimony with his blood, and that therefore it is in force upon the whole world. His brother Hyrum died by his side, and the blood of our venerated and respected President, who presides to-day over the quorum of the Twelve Apostles, was mingled with their blood, and stands also as a testimony before this nation and before this people. I know that he is led to-day by the revelations of the Lord Jesus Christ, and I can bear my testimony that when you raise your hands to sustain him as a Prophet, Seer and Revelator, that God hears and answers your prayers. There is this spirit of revelation in the midst of the people. I know it in every fibre of my nature, I know it in every sense of my being, and I thank God that He has given me this testimony. I know also in reference to the judgments that are to be poured out upon the earth. Enough has been revealed to make me feel sorrowful and frequently like

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shedding bitter tears. I have no feeling of enmity against our government. I have no feeling of bitterness against a living human being, wicked though many may be, because their sorrows will be more than they can bear, and the judgments of the Almighty, when they come to be poured out, will touch the hearts of the Latter-day Saints and cause them to retire to their closets and secret places and weep because of the desolation and ruin that will be brought upon this and other nations. I can also bear my testimony that the preaching of righteousness is accomplishing a great work among the remnants of Israel, and that the poor Indians, who have been despised and hated through the ignorance, bigotry, and folly of the wicked, will yet arise and stand forth in their manhood; the Lord Jesus Christ will bring them out of their bondage and fulfil all the words of the prophets concerning them, that are recorded in the Book of Mormon. May God bless the Latter-day Saints. May we march on to perfection, to liberty, and to the power of God unto salvation, is my earnest prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR

Shall we keep on a little longer, or shall we quit? I think we have a little time. We adjourned the first day of our meeting because it was rather cold, and now it is not quite so cold, and we will stay a little longer. I have felt a desire to hear the testimony of my brethren of the Twelve, and that of our Counselor who is here. All of the Twelve are present except one; he is at his post, attending to the interests of Zion. And we will pray for him, that God may be with him and sustain and preserve him, and through him preserve this people. There are a few things I want to speak upon, and I realize that while I and my brethren are speaking, we are not only speaking to this congregation, but to others -- to the Saints throughout this and adjoining Territories; to the inhabitants of the United States and to the world; because our testimony will go forth to them. There are many things which I wish to draw the attention of the brethren to, that they may not lose sight of them. One is Co-operation. We have a number of Co-operative institutions; we have one here, which may properly be denominated the parent institution; we have also many others, and we wish to sustain them, and to do it not nominally, but really in our hearts, and with honesty of purpose; and do everything we do on that principle, without hypocrisy of any kind, in truthfulness before God, and operating together for the welfare of Israel. But Co-operation is not a system only for importing goods and selling them; we want to co-operate in home manufactures. We have done considerable of that, and we desire to do more of it. The Co- operative Store here has, I presume, as much as two hundred men at work in all -- about 140 to 150 making shoes, and about 50 or 60 making certain kinds of clothing; and we want to see these things increased, until we can make all

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our own clothing right here at home; and instead of having to employ tailors abroad to make it for us, we want, as quickly as practicable -- and I think it is practicable now -- to make it ourselves. I mean the clothing which is imported here; and then, instead of employing comparatively only a few men, use all of our own labor; let our factories be run on double time and use our own wool at home, instead of exporting it, and thus increase the means of employment and be self-sustaining. And then if we could get some of the best machinery for the manufacture of hats, that would be another commendable enterprise, because we use a large number. I see there are a great many heads here, and there are a great many more in the Territory, all needing hats -- and if we should supply them ourselves it would be much better than to take the other course. Then there are some that are trying to engage in the United Order, up and down in different parts, especially far off in the South. They have our blessing and our prayers. I say God bless them in all their attempts to approach that order which is instituted of God. We have not got at it yet, by and by we will come to it; but in the meantime we will approach it as near as we can. God is pleased with the action of this people in their liberality towards the poor. Now be liberal one towards another, and help and relieve one another, and God will relieve and bless you. Speaking again of Co-operation we have what are called Boards of Trade, and it is expected that they will operate and co-operate with our central institution. A meeting of that kind will be held this afternoon, therefore I do not wish at this time to say much upon that subject. There is a subject I wish to speak a little upon to High Councils, to Bishops, to Bishops' Counselors and to the Presidents of Stakes particularly; but as we shall hold a priesthood meeting, what I am about to refer to can be more fully talked of then; but I will allude to it briefly here. Reference was made by one of the speakers to a revelation contained in the Doctrine and Covenants, in which we are given to understand that the priesthood is given unto us, not for our own aggrandizement, nor to advance our own interests, but to build up the Church and Kingdom of God upon the earth, acting upon the principles of justice, equity and righteousness, as you are yourselves willing to be judged -- and will be judged, before the Great I AM, when the time comes that we shall have to give an account of our stewardship. We want no favoritism shown to any man, or to any woman, or to any set of men, but in the administration of justice to do it as in the sight of God, with integrity of heart and uprightness; anything different from this cannot receive the approbation of God. And furthermore, this priesthood is not conferred upon men to exercise any degree of unrighteousness or tyranny, or to in any way oppress or injure anybody; but if any man use his priesthood to subserve any such purpose, God will take hold of him, as the Priesthood above him will take hold of him, and he will be removed out of his place except he repent. Another thing. The Lord has given unto us our various Courts -- Bishops' Courts, High Councils, etc., and it is expected that the Saints will adjust any matters of difficulty or

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dispute that may arise among them, before those courts, and that they do not go to law before the ungodly; and if any do so, I will promise them, in the name of the Lord God of Israel, that they will be destroyed by the ungodly. Hear it, you Elders of Israel, and you Saints of latter days! Let us seek in the first place among ourselves to execute judgment in righteousness, and then let every man and every woman submit to them. That is God's law, and any man that acts contrary to this law cannot go into the temples of the Lord to receive the ordinances of God's house. For if we cannot submit to the law of God on the one hand, we cannot receive the blessings through his ordinances, on the other hand. Is that right? [The congregation answered, Yes.] Again, I have been very much interested in our Sabbath School operations, and should have been pleased to have been present at the general meeting of the Sunday School Union, last evening, but having so much labor on hand, I thought it better to rest. But I am interested in the cause of our Sunday Schools, and so are my brethren of the Twelve. God has given unto us the most precious of gifts -- children, and has placed us over them as the fathers and mothers of lives. They are eternal beings, and it should be our constant care to train them up in the fear of God. And we want the Bishops and the Presidents to sustain them, which I believe they do, and all good brethren and all good sisters should take an interest in the welfare of the rising generation, and do all they can to train the children in the fear of God. And God will bless you in your labors and desires, and the youth of Zion will rise up and call you blessed. And let no man or woman shirk the responsibility of teaching the children when it is put upon him or her. And then, our Young Men's and Young Women's Mutual Improvement Associations are very good institutions, and the Lord is blessing them, and he will continue to bless them; and we desire to see them encouraged in their operations throughout the land, that the principles of righteousness, truth and purity may be promulgated and sustained; and that vice, evil, corruption, and infamy may be frowned upon, and the right honored and maintained; and that our youth may grow up as plants of renown and become mighty men and women in Israel, filled with the gift of the Holy Ghost and the power of God. Again, in regard to the Relief Societies. They are doing a great deal of good, and I say, God bless the sisters, and let all the congregation say Amen. [The vast congregation said, Amen.] Sisters, continue your labors of love, and continue to propagate good, virtuous and holy principles; teach your daughters, and also your sons, principles of holiness and purity; and seek out the poor and distressed and minister to them, and God will bless you in your labors. We thank you, and I thank you in behalf of the Twelve, and in behalf of the people, for the liberal vote you gave us yesterday in regard to supplying the poor and the necessitous with the grain that you have stored-something which we, who profess to be so much more intelligent, have not been able to do. God bless you; continue your good works and adhere to the principles of right and truth, and God will bless you, and he will bless your sons and daughters, and your names will be honored in Israel, and you will be honored by God and the holy angels.

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Again, in regard to the building of temples, we are engaged in doing a good work. Our Salt Lake Temple is progressing very nicely, and we expect it will go forward as usual, only a little more so, next season. I would say in regard to this temple -- there were some remarks made about no reports having been made. This is true; the people here have been careless and indifferent, at the same time a large amount of means has been used on it, and why the report has been omitted, I do not know. And the building known as the Salt Lake Assembly Hall has been erected within a short time, at a cost, I suppose of not less than $100,000; besides attending to other things. I have no complaint to make, only we will try and do a little better; and when you are called upon to furnish quarry hands, be a little more prompt about it, and do not be backward; and when you are called upon to furnish men to assist us here, do not be backward about it. And we will try and improve, one and all, upon our past labors in relation to these things. In Logan and Manti we have two temples under construction, and when finished they will be a credit to the people. We are trying at least to carry out the word and will of God in this direction, and he is helping us to do it. We will build our temples and administer in them, and stand forth as the priests of the Most High God, administering salvation to the living and for the dead. And then, we will continue to send forth, as we are doing, our missionaries to the nations of the earth. Although they do not, very frequently, receive us very kindly, but no matter; they did not receive Jesus, nor the prophets in ancient times, very kindly. The laws of God, nor the servants of God, never were received very kindly upon the earth, except for about two hundred years upon this continent; but the time is coming when the Saints of the Most High God will take the kingdom and possess it, and reign for ever and ever; and he whose right it is will come and take the possession. I will speak a little in regard to our government. We complain a good deal about the way we have been treated. Well, we have been treated very scurvily, it is true -- everybody will admit that -- but we must consider the circumstances: they are not of our faith, they do not believe as we do, they have their ideas, and theories, and notions, and so have other nations as well as this. Well, what shall we do? We will do the very best we can. Do you think you could improve your condition in any other nation or under any other government, or receive any better treatment than you do in this? I tell you no, you could not. We here, at least, have the form and -- I was going to say, the guarantee of liberty; that is, the promise of the guarantee. We have the form, but it is like a religion without the power. What shall we do? Consign everybody to damnation and destruction? No. Who are they? They are God's children. Would he like to see them reform? He would; and he has told us to try to do it. If we had children that had gone astray, would we not like to see them reform? Yes, we would, and if our children do anything wrong we tell them of it, and we try to reform them. We will therefore continue to go to this nation as we have done, as saviors, with the message of life and salvation, and we will pray for the honest, the upright and virtuous, and those who love righteousness, and those who are willing to accord to men equal rights, and a great many who are not; and we will do them all the good we can. We will sustain the government in its administration, and be true to it, and maintain this position right along. And when division,

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strife, trouble and contention arise, we will try to still the troubled waters, and act in all honesty as true friends to the government; and when war shall exist among them, and there is no one found to sustain the remnants of liberty that may be left, the Elders of Israel will rally round the standard of freedom and proclaim liberty to all the world. These things will assuredly take place, and when they do our motto will be as it now is, "Peace on earth and good will to men." These are our sentiments and feelings in relation to these matters. But while we feel liberal, generous and kind to all men of all nations, classes and creeds, we have no fellowship with unrighteousness; we do not believe in the actions of many men, nor in their corruptions and evils; we want to purge ourselves from them and stand forth aloof as servants of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, and try in all fidelity, in the interests of our common humanity, to bear off the government of God triumphantly. I would also say a little about the P. E. Fund. While we have relieved a great many, to the amount of $80,000, of their indebtedness, which is right before God and all honorable men; there are a great many poor Saints among the nations yet. And we want those who are not forgiven -- for we shall not forgive those that are able to pay and do not do it -- to come forward and meet their obligations. And then, if there are those that are desirous of assisting any in this direction, who have it in their hearts to do so, and to impart a blessing to their friends in foreign lands, let them come forward and present their means to Brother Carrington, who is President of the Perpetual Emigration Fund Company, and he will see that the means are properly applied. We do not want to close up this avenue of relief to the scattered poor, but we will continue our efforts to gather Israel. And further; we will continue to build temples, and to administer in them, and we will also continue to preach the Gospel, until the word of the Lord be fulfilled pertaining to this and other nations, and then he will say, Turn to the Jews, go to the House of Israel, the cup of the Gentiles is full. This time has not come yet. Now, in regard to these matters, God is our God in whom we put our trust; we have nothing ourselves to boast of. Have we wealth? Who gave it to us? The Lord. Have we property? Who put us in possession of it? The Lord. Our horses, cattle and sheep, our flocks, herds and possessions, are his gifts. The gold and the silver and the precious things of earth, and also the cattle upon a thousand hills, are his, and we are his, and in his hands, and all nations are in his hands, and he will do with us and with them as seemeth him good. And as a kind, wise Father, he will watch over their interests; and when the time of judgment comes, it will not be withheld. We ought always to remember that our strength is in God; we have nothing to boast of ourselves, we have no intelligence that God has not given unto us; we have nothing in life, or property, but what has been given unto us of the Lord. Everything we possess pertaining to time and eternity has been imparted to us by him. Let us then act as Saints of God in all humility, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation I say God bless you, and God bless my brethren of the Twelve, and God bless my brethren of the Seventies, and God bless my brethren of the High Priesthood, and God bless the Presidents of Stakes and their Counselors, and God bless the Bishops and their Counselors, and the Elders, Priests, Teachers and Deacons, our missionaries laboring in

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foreign lands, and all the Holy Priesthood, and God bless all the Saints. And let us all seek to do our duty and honor and magnify our calling. Fear God and keep His commandments, and the peace and blessing of God will abide with us from this time henceforth and forever. And I now testify, as my brethren have done, that this is the work of God that has been revealed by the Almighty, and I know it. And God will sustain Israel, and no power can injure us if we will do what is right; and this kingdom will roll on, and the purposes of God will progress, and Zion will arise and shine, and the glory of God will rest upon her. And we will continue to grow and increase until the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our God and his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever. Amen.

ELDER L. JOHN NUTTALL

Read the following names of missionaries, who were sustained by unanimous vote: Great Britain -- Robert R. Irvine, Fourth Ward, Salt Lake City; Mark Beazer, Kaysville; John Cooper, Fillmore; William R. Webb, American Fork; Edward Stevens, Payson; John Kynaston, East Bountiful. Sandwich Islands -- Orrin D. Allen, Huntsville. United States -- Peter Lauritzen, Moroni; Erik Bastel Ericksen, Mt. Pleasant; Samuel G. Bunnell, Spring City; James Sanderson, Fairview; William Clark, Lehi, and Nicholas H. Groesbeck, Springville. Frank Warner, Willard City, place to be designated hereafter. Choir and congregation sang: "Praise God from whom all blessings flow." Adjourned till October 6, 1880, at 10 A. M., in the same place. Benediction by Elder WILFORD WOODRUFF. GEORGE GODDARD Clerk

GENERAL PRIESTHOOD MEETING

A meeting of the Priesthood was held according to appointment in the Assembly Hall, Thursday evening at 7 o'clock. It was opened by singing, and prayer by President ANGUS M. CANNON. After which the meeting was addressed by Elder GEORGE TEASDALE, who was followed by Elder ERASTUS SNOW, in a discourse on the authority of the Priesthood in its several classes and callings. President JOHN TAYLOR made some closing remarks, full of instruction and inspiration.

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Elder L. JOHN NUTTALL then read the following additional names of Elders nominated for missions: Charles Schneitter, First Ward, Salt Lake City, to Switzerland and Germany; Jens Hansen, of Mill Creek, to Scandinavia; James Myler, Clarkston, to the United States. The doxology was sung, and meeting dismissed with prayer by Elder WILFORD WOODRUFF MINUTES Of the Fourth Semi-Annual General Conference of the Young, Men's Mutual Improvement Associations, held in the Salt Lake Assembly Hall, Tuesday Evening, April 6, 1880. ON the stand were President John Taylor, Apostles W. Woodruff, C. C. Rich, F. D. Richards, Joseph F. Smith and Moses Thatcher, and Counselor D. H. Wells. The Presidency of the Salt Lake and Utah County Stakes, Junius F. Wells and Milton H. Hardy, and the Stake Superintendents of Box Elder, Davis, Morgan, Salt Lake, Utah and Weber Counties, and representatives from Beaver, Juab, Sanpete, St. George, Sevier, Summit, Tooele and Wasatch. Meeting called to order by Junius F. Wells. After singing and prayer, President JOHN TAYLOR addressed the meeting on the subject of mutual improvement, referring more particularly to the young men, and explained the suggestions from the Council of Apostles in relation to a more complete and permanent organization. After which, Apostle Wilford Woodruff was nominated for General Superintendent, with Apostles Joseph F. Smith and Moses Thatcher as his assistants. The nominations were carried unanimously. Superintendent WOODRUFF then briefly addressed the meeting, expressing his interest in the work of mutual improvement among the young, and called for the statistical report, the totals of which were accordingly read as follows: Stake organizations, 20; associations, 239; members, 9,206; average attendance, 5,755; quarterly conferences, 47; weekly meetings, 2,640; conjoint sessions, 551; extra meetings, 156; total meetings, 3,394;

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visitors sent, 1,326; visitors received, 1,155; visits of county and general officers, 390; members gone on missions, 73; libraries, 95; volumes 3,554; value of books, $3,986.45; manuscript papers, 274; financial exhibit showed cash and other property on hand, $3,794.87; Scripture reading, total chapters read, 77,012; subjective lectures given, 2,904; testimonies borne, 3,295. After the reading of the report, Superintendent WOODRUFF made a few remarks, and called for a vote of the people to sustain the suggestions of the Apostles in relation to the organization, which was unanimous. A preamble and resolutions respecting cruelty to animals and the killing of birds were presented and read, and the sentiments expressed therein voted upon. The meeting was dismissed by President JOHN TAYLOR.

CIRCULAR FROM THE TWELVE APOSTLES

SALT LAKE CITY, U. T., APRIL 16th, 1880 To the Presidents of Stakes and Bishops of the several Wards: Dear Brethren: During the annum Conference begun in this city on the 6th inst., the Trustee in Trust, with the unanimous approval of the Apostles and Counselors, deemed it a fitting opportunity on the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and at the close of the Year of Jubilee, to propose remitting some $800,000, or one-half of the indebtedness to the Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company, by the worthy poor who are struggling with adversity, unable to pay, and with but little prospect of ever being able. This very liberal proposition was cordially sustained by the unanimous vote of the vast congregation, composed of authorities and members from all regions of our settlements. That these remissions may be applied in the wisest manner possible, the Bishops of the several wards are hereby respectfully requested to at once proceed to learn who of those indebted to the P. E. Fund Company they may deem entitled to the benefit of the aforenamed

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remissions, and write down names, ages, year of immigration and post office address, with a few of the principal reasons why they recommend a remission, and forward all such recommends to their several Presidents of Stakes. The Presidents of Stakes are also respectfully requested to at once carefully examine the aforesaid recommends from the Bishops; endorse thereon their approval or disapproval, with or without remarks, as the may please, and forward to the President or clerk of the P. E. F. Co., Box B, this city, for consideration and final action by the proper authorities here, and their action thereon will be made known to the parties concerned through their bishop as speedily as may be. In case a bishop shall deem it more proper to recommend remitting only a part of an indebtedness, he will recommend accordingly, as aforenamed, specifying the amount. DELINQUENT TITHING REMITTED At the general Jubilee Conference, April, 1880, President John Taylor proposed, and the Conference voted that the deserving poor have their delinquent tithing remitted throughout the whole Church, to the amount of one-half the total of all the delinquencies; under such regulations as shall be approved by the Stake Presidents and the Apostles. The Presidents of Stakes and Bishop's agents are therefore respectfully requested to ascertain from the books in the several wards under their jurisdiction the amount of all such delinquencies, and, at an early day, a list of names and the wards where found, with the amounts recommended for remittal, which should include all delinquencies of persons, generally well disposed, but who, by reason of losses, affliction, helpless families or missionary labors, have been unable to pay, and such amounts of other delinquents as may be deemed right and proper, in accordance with the spirit of the Conference. Should the total amounts so recommended for remission amount to less or more than one-half the total delinquency of your Stakes respectively, it will be adjusted and equalized as far as practicable, and as shall be deemed to be just by the Presiding Bishop, with the approval of the Apostles. The several agents should consult with bishops, and make up lists to be submitted to the Stake Presidency, which, after such modifications as they deem advisable, should be signed by them and the Bishop's agents for the Stake, and forwarded to the Presiding Bishop of the Church. We need not remind you that neither favoritism nor prejudice should influence any one in these matters, but only an earnest desire to make the yoke easy and the burden light. DONATION OF COWS AND SHEEP On the suggestion of President John Taylor and his brethren of the Council of Apostles, by common consent, as expressed by the unanimous vote of the Saints in Conference assembled, on April 7, 1880, one thousand good young milch cows and five

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thousand head of healthy sheep were appropriated for the relief of the deserving poor Saints in Zion. Three hundred of the former and two thousand of the latter were subscribed by the Church, and the remainder as a donation by the several Stakes, as expressed by the vote of the Presidencies of the Stakes and Bishops of the wards, who were present at the meeting. In order that a proper apportionment may be determined, the Presidents of the several Stakes are requested to ascertain and report to the Trustee in Trust as speedily as possible the number of cows and sheep that will be required to relieve the worthy poor in their Stakes. A prompt report, giving the names and residences in full of such as the Bishops recommend, and whom you can endorse as being worthy and needy, will enable us to determine at once, and inform you of how many head of each it will be necessary for you to furnish. In securing subscriptions, it would be well as far as possible to make, at the same time, distributions as you may think proper. Being aware of the object of this charitable measure, you will, we feel assured, perceive the importance of being thorough, prompt and energetic in its accomplishment. THE LOANING OF RELIEF SOCIETY WHEAT To the President of the Central Grain Committee, and Presidents of the various Branches of the Relief Society in Salt Lake City and throughout the Slakes of Zion, having in charge stored Wheat: In accordance with a unanimous vote of the sisters present at our late general Conference, we recommend that you loan to your respective bishops so much wheat as they may consider requisite to meet the necessities of the deserving poor. We also recommend that the bishops receipt to you and take receipts from those to whom they distribute, that the wheat loaned maybe faithfully returned when circumstances shall permit. We realize that our sisters have performed a highly commendable and praiseworthy labor in storing wheat for future emergencies, and we trust that, inasmuch as the wheat is loaned without interest, the bishops, in carrying out the above measures, will see that they receive a full equivalent for their loans, taking into consideration the losses in changing, as well as the difference between old and new wheat as to quality and quantity. The shrinkage is supposed to be about ten percent. The bishops should be responsible for the return of the wheat, hence they should loan on good security and to such persons as will return the same according to agreement. It should be loaned mainly for seed. The Tithing Office will in no case be responsible for the return of the whole or any part thereof. THE FORGIVENESS OF DEBTS TO THE WORTHY POOR IN ZION

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At our recent Annual Conference, the Church, by common consent, remitted one-half of the people's entire indebtedness to the Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company, and one-half the amount due on back tithing account, aggregating about $875,900. This amount to apply to the cancellation of the obligations of the worthy poor on their emigration and tithing accounts, thus freeing them from a burden which they have been unable to honorably cast off. To all such, in this regard, we offer a jubilee. The power of God moving the hearts of the Saints still further, caused them to appropriate, for the relief of the deserving poor of Zion, one thousand head of cows and five thousand head of sheep. In addition to this, the Relief Societies, with a liberal generosity, offer to loan to the needy some thirty-four thousand bushels of wheat until after harvest, without interest. With these worthy examples, as the fruits of the gospel before us, we wish to extend to all our brethren and sisters the privilege of aiding in this good work of compassion and love. We respectfully remind those who have the riches of this world more abundantly bestowed upon them, that they have a fitting opportunity of remembering the Lord's poor. If you hold their notes and they are unable to pay, forgive the interest and the principle, or so much thereof as you might desire them to forgive were their and your circumstances reversed, thus doing unto others as you would that others should do unto you. For upon this hang the law and the prophets. If you have mortgages upon the homes of your brethren and sisters who are poor, worthy and honest, and who desire to pay you but cannot, free them in whole or in part. Extend to them a jubilee, if you can consistently. You will have their faith, prayers and confidence, which may be worth more than money. We invite Zion's Co-operative Mercantile Institution as the parent; all other co- operative institutions as the children and our brethren who are engaged in profitable railroad, banking, mercantile, manufacturing or other remunerative enterprises, to extend a helping hand. Free the worthy debt-bound brother if you can. Let there be no rich among us from whose tables fall only crumbs to feed a wounded Lazarus. Rather let us each and all do our part honorably, justly, charitably and well. The Church of Christ has given us a worthy example, let us follow it, so that God may forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors. By so doing, you will, as Jesus says, "Make unto yourselves friends with the mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations." That all these matters may be carried promptly to a successful issue, we advise the Presidencies of the several Stakes and the Bishop's agents, to proceed at once to visit all the wards therein, holding meetings in order to arrange all these matters while making their visits. By this means they will more readily accomplish what is herein required, and have their minds relieved of the responsibilities relating thereto. Those needing wheat for seed must of course have it soon in order that it may be available for that purpose this season; while those needing cows and sheep will appreciate promptness in their delivery. JOHN TAYLOR, In behalf of the Council of Apostles.

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TO ALL PRESIDENTS AND BISHOPS In addition to items contained in our Circular, we call attention to persons removed from your wards leaving unsettled tithing accounts. All balances against them should be promptly forwarded to the bishops where they now reside, if known, and if their present residence be unknown to you, send it to the Presiding Bishop, so that such old accounts may be considered and included in the recommendations of bishops for cancellation. An entry should be made in your books showing the transfer of such old accounts, that they may not be longer reported among your delinquencies. In behalf of the Apostles. JOHN TAYLOR, President. THE YEAR OF JUBILEE (April 6, 1880) God of our Fathers, we, this day Our voices raise in sacred song, And in it our glad homage pay -This tribute doth to thee belong! Thine hand has been our staff and stay, Thy power has lit our darkest day, And Israel, blind, this day can see The first glad Year of Jubilee! In all the past, thy people, thou Hast led with more than Father's care, And every trial, then or now, From foes within or foes elsewhere Hath testimony brought, as rain Upon the parched and desert plain Gives life and gladness, fresh and free, A sure perennial jubilee! What more could'st thou for us have done? What blessing hast thou e'er denied? In eastern lands thou weft our sun, As on Ohio's prairies wide; And when Missouri's hate was keen, When from Far West we fled unseen We hailed afar the yet to be -This blessed Year of Jubilee!

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When by the Mississippi's stream, The Temple lifted high in air, Beauteous as any poet's dream, "City of Joseph," wondrous fair; Thou did'st thy people succor then When martyred prophets fell, as when From death thy thousands had to flee To wait this Year of Jubilee! Thy people's enemies have met The fate which prophets did portray, Their sun in darkness quickly set And with it all their jocund day; No more to them thy Saints shall bow, No more receive their ready blow. This is our triumph, surely we Enjoy our Year of Jubilee! Here, 'mid the mountains peace hath dwelt; "Rest for the weary" hath been found; Here many a bursting heart hath felt Far from the hated war cry's sound, As 'twere a heaven already won 'Neath the unclouded western sun. These had no need to wait for Thee, In peace they had their Jubilee! Oh swelling hearts! A cup run o'er, With mercies, blessings, is your lot; And there's "a fulness" yet in store, In heaven the Saints are unforgot. Promise and prophecy entwined, In sacred record is enshrined, These every hour fulfilled to thee, O Israel, is a Jubilee! Can Zion's children tell, to-day, The half of what they now enjoy? Or can a soul by words portray What fifty years more will employ Of inspiration's force and flame? Or how far lost a toes great name? Or what the world will surely see

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Before next Year of Jubilee? The Saints will live, the Kingdom grow, Zion unveiled will "rise and shine!" Nations and tongues will homage pay To Truth, of origin divine. And God will bring to nought each plan Of false, corrupt, and wicked man. Who would not wish to live and see The next glad Year of Jubilee? "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done," Done, on the earth as 'tis above. Faith that his nearer with each sun, Inspired work is a life of love. Triumph is certain, victory sure; Blessed are all who will endure. Time and eternity shall be To them unending Jubilee! H. W. N.

Sixty-Ninth Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

April 1899
FIRST DAY MORNING MEETING
The Sixty-ninth Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints convened, in the Tabernacle, at 10 a.m. today, Thursday, April 6, 1899, President Lorenzo Snow presiding. Of the general authorities present 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, Abraham Owen Woodruff and Rudger Clawson; Patriarch John Smith; of the First Seven

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Presidents of Seventies -- Seymour B. Young, C. D. Fjeldsted, B. H. Roberts, George Reynolds, Jonathan G. Kimball, Rulon S. Wells and Joseph W. McMurrin; of the Presiding Bishopric, William B. Preston, Robert T. Burton and John R. Winder. Considering the fact that this was the first meeting, the attendance was quite large. Conference was called to order by President George Q. Cannon. Singing by the choir and congregation: Come let us anew our journey pursue, Roll round with the year, And never stand still till the Master appear. Opening prayer by Elder Seymour B. Young. The choir sang: Behold, the mountain of the Lord In latter days shall rise, On mountain tops, above the hills, And draw the wond'ring eyes.

PRESIDENT LORENZO SNOW

Brethren and sisters and friends: There are many reflections that arise in my mind as I behold the faces of so many Latter-day Saints here this morning. Sixty-nine years ago the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized. How many strange scenes have been witnessed and what wonderful things have been accomplished by the Latter-day Saints since the organization! Prophets and Elders have been martyred while defending the great cause which God established in the interests of the salvation, exaltation and glory of His children whom He has sent upon the earth. This is a lovely morning. All nature seems to smile upon us. I would like to ask my brethren and sisters, how do you feel? Do we all feel to rejoice in our hearts and to be happy? In view of what has been accomplished, do we feel grateful to our Heavenly Father? Think of the persecutions through which the Saints have passed and the sacrifices we have made from time to time, and yet we are here this morning surrounded by pleasant conditions. Then, what are the glorious prospects before us? After a few years, whatever may have been our experience, we shall stand in the presence of our Father in the future life, having

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accomplished His purposes while in the world, having made sacrifices in fulfilling that which the Lord has required at our hands from time to time, and we shall look back upon the past with Joy and satisfaction. How happy we ought to be under present circumstances, in view of what we have done since we received the Gospel, and how we have been sustained, while some upon our right hand and upon our left have fallen into a state of apostasy. Contemplating the past and glorious prospects of the future, our hearts ought to be filled with joy and thanksgiving to our God this day. We wish to have a good Conference, and we will. Just in proportion as we exercise our faith during the progress of this Conference, so will the blessings of the Almighty rest upon us; and as the speakers address us from day to day we will secure that which will be of vast importance to us. It is not always the lengthy discourse that affords to the Latter-day Saints that which is the most profitable; but in the various discourses delivered we may gather some idea, or some principle may flash upon our understanding which will prove valuable to us afterwards. Our blessings and our success in the past have been in proportion to our efforts and the exercise of our faith. When we contemplate what the Lord has done for us in the past, our present surroundings, and our future prospects, what a blest people we are! I have thought sometimes that one of the greatest virtues the Latter-day Saints could possess is gratitude to our Heavenly Father for that which He has bestowed upon us and the path over which He has led us. It may be that walking along in that path has not always been of the most pleasant character; but we have afterwards discovered that those circumstances which have been very unpleasant have often proved of the highest advantage to us. We should always be pleased with the circumstances that surround us and that which the Lord requires at our hands. Brethren and sisters, in the name of the Lord I bless you this morning. Let us be faithful and keep the commandments of God. Let us never allow our prospects to become dimmed; let them be fresh before us by day and by night, and I will assure you that if we will do this our growth from day to day and from year to year will be marvelous. We can look back now and we can see that we have advanced. We have not stood still, but we have been moving along and gradually increasing our growth. The child grows from childhood to boyhood, and from boyhood to manhood, with a constant and steady growth; but he cannot tell how or when the growth occurs. He does not realize that he is growing; but by observing the laws of health and being prudent in his course he eventually arrives at manhood. So in reference to ourselves as Latter-day Saints. We grow and increase. We are not aware of it at the moment; but after a year or so we discover that we are, so to speak, away up the hill, nearing the mountain top. We feel that we have faith in the Lord; that His providences are always beneficial; that we are connected with Him; that He is actually our Father, and that He leads us along in life. We should have before us a strong desire to do good to others. Never mind so much about ourselves. Good will come to us all right If we keep our minds outside of ourselves to a certain extent, and try to make others happier and draw them a little nearer to the Lord. We

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have been sent into the world to do good to others; and in doing good to others we do good to ourselves. We should always keep this in view, the husband in reference to his wife, the wife in reference to her husband, the children in reference to their parents, and the parents in reference to their children. There is always opportunity to do good to one another. When you find yourselves a little gloomy, look around you and find somebody that is in a worse plight than yourself; go to him and find out what the trouble is, then try to remove it with the wisdom which the Lord bestows upon you; and the first thing you know, your gloom is gone, you feel light, the Spirit of the Lord is upon you, and everything seems illuminated. Brethren and sisters, God bless you. Let us have a good Conference; and in order that we may have, let us have a prayerful spirit all the time, and especially when Elders arise here to address you. Amen.

ELDER RUDGER CLAWSON

Pride and class distinctions displeasing to God -- Duty of supporting the poor -- Tithepaying is educational. I will read a few words from the 2nd chapter of Jacob in the Book of Mormon: "Think of your brethren, like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all, and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you. "But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. "And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ, ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them, for the intent to do good; to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick, and the afflicted. "And now, my brethren, I have spoken unto you concerning pride; and those of you which have afflicted your neighbor, and persecuted him because ye were proud in your hearts, of the things which God hath given you, what say ye of it? "Do ye not suppose that such things are abominable unto him who created all flesh? And the one being is as precious in his sight as the other. And all flesh is of the dust; and for the selfsame end hath he created them, that they should keep his commandments, and glorify him for ever." My brethren and sisters: I have selected a text this morning, but I do not know that I shall be able to speak to it as I desire at all times to leave my mind open to the impressions

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of the Holy Spirit, and not place myself in a position to resist that influence. I am reminded of a circumstance that occurred with one of the home missionaries in the Boxelder Stake, which shows that it is not always safe to rely upon a text. This brother was called to go out and visit one of the wards, and before going he selected a tenet. He pondered upon the text, and perhaps considered in a measure what he should say. When he came to the meeting he opened the Bible and turned to the page where he expected to find his text. He searched and searched, but could not find it. He must have been five minutes before that congregation hunting for his text, and he stood as one who was dazed. After a few moments, however, the Spirit of the Lord came to his assistance, and he made a pretty good talk, doubtless better than if he had followed the text. It transpired that the particular leaf containing the words he expected to read had been lost from that Bible, and that was the reason he could not find his text. I believe that it is the purpose of the Lord to make this people rich. See what a vast multitude inhabit these valleys of the mountains. Go out among them; study their characteristics - - industry, temperance, thrift -- and they are such as will make any people wealthy in the course of time. But there is danger in riches. Jacob was aware of this, and he called the attention of his people to it. The possession of wealth generally brings class distinctions; class distinctions bring pride; and pride, we are told, is an abomination in the sight of heaven. These class distinctions are very apparent in the world, more particularly in the large cities. We read the other day of a wedding in high life, and we were told that millions of money were married to millions of money, and that it was a very auspicious affair. Everything connected with that wedding was of the most magnificent order. Costly presents were made, including diamonds of rare value, and golden dishes. Think of people eating out of golden dishes, and at the same time being surrounded by many who are not in a condition to purchase even the simple necessaries of life, some perhaps actually starving to death for the want of food. Now, the children of the rich, surrounded by the condition, that I have mentioned, with superior opportunities of education and culture, in time, get to think that they are better than the children of the poor. They can wear better clothing, they can eat better food, they have better conditions in every way, and so seem to think they are better. Let us imagine for a moment a poor man, albeit an honest, intelligent man, and one who may stand high in the estimation of heaven, coming into a gathering of the rich -- why, the social distinction between that poor man and the rich man is so great that doubtless it would be thought to be a contamination to have him there, and a demand for his withdrawal would be made. They cannot associate together. Yet, my brethren and sisters, the Prophet Jacob tells us that we are made of one flesh: God does not draw these distinctions that we find upon the earth. We are led to understand from the scriptures that God is no respector of persons, and that these social distinctions that are in the world, and in some degree perhaps in our midst, are not pleasing in His sight. He Judges not as men judge. He looks not upon the features; He considers not the wearing apparel; but He looks into the heart. We have seen this exemplified in many cases. You will remember the case of David. Samuel the prophet was sent by God to anoint a king over Israel, and he was to find this king among the sons of Jesse. Doubtless, Jesse was very much pleased with this idea, and he passed his sons in

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review before the prophet. They were fine, beautiful men. It may be that Samuel himself was impressed with their appearance, and if he had been left to himself he might have selected one of them; but the Spirit of the Lord whispered to him that he was not to place his hands on any of those. So the prophet enquired of Jesse if he had other sons, and Jesse remembered that he did have another son -- a boy -- who was out herding the sheep. The prophet asked to see him. When he came into his presence the Spirit of the Lord inspired the prophet to say, This is the man. He laid his hands upon him and anointed him to be king of Israel. The Lord Judged from the heart. He knew the hearts of these sons of Jesse, and David was the chosen one. So, my brethren and sisters, if there are to be distinctions among us, they must not be based upon our financial condition, but rather upon the principle of righteousness. One man is better than another if he is more righteous than the other. One man is more acceptable to the Lord than another if he lives nearer to the Lord than the other. The prophet Jacob points out very clearly the manner in which it would be safe for His people to seek after riches. First seek the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all other things will be added. Then if we seek for riches we wilt do it with the intent to accomplish good and to use them for the benefit and blessing of mankind and for the establishment and upbuilding of the Church and Kingdom of God. Besides, administering to the wants of the poor and to the sick and afflicted, the Prophet Jacob might also have with propriety mentioned the principle of tithing -- if they observed that law in that day -- and other principles pertaining to the Gospel. I have thought sometimes that God revealed this principle of tithing to His people in order that they should not be swallowed up in a spirit of selfishness; that their souls might be enlarged by taking of their substance and imparting it to the Church, and performing other righteous deeds. The poor we have always with us. It was said by Abraham Lincoln that God must love the poor because he has made so many of them. The Savior seemed to think a great deal of the poor. He came to preach the Gospel to them, to administer to their wants, to heal the sick, to east out devils, to open the eyes of the blind. His life and His ministry was devoted to the poor. You will find, if you study closely the revelations of God found in the Book of Covenants, that a great amount of space is devoted to the poor. We are reminded of them continually; that we shall divide our substance with them. The fast day has been instituted, in part, for that purpose. It has been estimated that if the entire people of the Latter-day Saints would give to the poor the value of the two meals that they refrain or should refrain from partaking of upon that day, the poor of this church would be well provided for. But, let me tell you, this is not done; at least, it is not done in our Stake, and I presume it is not done in other Stakes. I have sometimes thought it would be an excellent thing to revive the custom of early days, in sending to the various families in the ward and gathering up their fast offerings; for the Bishops of the Church well know that the people many times have offerings to make that they cannot very well carry to the fast meeting, and by sending around and reminding the people of this duty, a great amount of good can be accomplished. I have

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recommended this to the Bishops in the Boxelder Stake, and where they have carried out this counsel most excellent results have followed. This is a matter of vital importance. If we neglect the poor, God will neglect us. We must look after them. Those who are so highly favored must divide their substance with them. And we must remember to observe this law of tithing. When a man's income amounts to only a few hundred dollars a year, it is a simple matter to pay tithing; but you will notice that as a man is increased in his substance, as God opens the windows of heaven and pours down blessings upon him, there is a tendency to drop off in the paying of tithing. It is easier for a man who is getting a thousand dollars a year to pay an honest tithing to the Lord than for a man who is getting ten thousand dollars a year; and it is easier for a man who gets ten thousand dollars a year to pay an honest tithing than for a man who gets a hundred thousand dollars a year. It seems to be almost impossible for a man with that enormous income to pay a Just tithing to the Lord. Yet the tithing belongs to the Lord, and He expects that we will observe this law, that this may be indeed a land of Zion unto us. Brethren and sisters, I rejoice in pondering upon the principles of the Gospel; and in my weak way I am endeavoring to observe these laws and commandments. I feel blessed in it, and I can recommend it to you. I know there is a blessing attendant upon the observance of the laws of God. I pray that His blessing may be upon the us, that His peace may be in our midst, and that His Spirit may be poured out abundantly upon the Saints in this general Conference, that we may be strengthened, edified, renewed in our faith, and encouraged to go on and accomplish the will of God. I ask it in the name of Jesus. Amen.

ELDER ABRAHAM O. WOODRUFF

Value of inspired counsel -- The Saints expanding by faith and colonization -- Success in missionary work. I assure you, my brethren and sisters, that in occupying this position this morning I feel very humble, and very dependent upon the Lord for His Spirit to give me utterance. I rejoice In seeing so many present, and in realizing the number of aged veterans there are in our midst who lived in the days of the Prophet Joseph, and who are pleased to bear testimony of the divinity of that Prophet's mission. It is remarkable how the Lord has preserved so many of those who lived in the days of the Prophet Joseph, and I am always made glad in listening to their testimony for those who were so intimately associated with the Prophet, and who knew him best, loved him best. I thank the Lord that He has preserved the Prophet of God who stands in our midst today, and has sustained him and does sustain him by His matchless power. I rejoice in his teachings, and the people ought to appreciate the counsels given by this man of God. Many people wish they had lived In the time when Christ was upon the earth; they think they would have loved the Lord and been more devoted to Him

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than they are at the present time. But every time we hold a general Conference we uphold and sustain the Prophet of God as His mouthpiece, His vicegerent upon the earth, and the question arises in my mind many times, Do we appreciate the counsels that are given us from this man? Are we willing to accept of his words as the word of God? When we ask his advice, do we ask believing and expecting to carry it out, whether it comes in conflict with our own selfish desires and ambitions or not? I often feel that we do not. People ask counsel at times if they think they can get that which will be favorable to their own selfish desires; but if they thought they would get counsel which would be contrary to their own wishes, they would refrain from asking it. In visiting the outside settlements of Zion I have been made to realize the great faith of the people. I have wondered at the works they have performed, through the faith they have in God. Many thousands have proven beyond a doubt that they are willing to trust implicitly in the word of God as it is given through His mouthpiece. But there are others who are not so willing. There are men holding the Priesthood, who are praying from day to day that they may receive light upon certain subjects, and if the prophet of God were to say to them what course they should pursue and give them the light for which they have sought, in some cases they would decline to follow that course. But the men who will not carry out the instruction given through President Lorenzo Snow are not in harmony with God, for I testify to you that he is the mouthpiece of the Most High upon the face of the earth; and those who refuse to accept his teachings, if they do not repent, will lose the spirit of this work and will apostatize, as the Lord lives. We have much to be thankful for in being able to meet together in this general conference. Sixty-nine years ago today the Church of Jesus Christ was organized in a little log house, with six members. Look at it today! Those who have traveled through the Stakes realize how Zion's boundaries are being extended, and how the people are growing in faith and in good works. Only those who are disgruntled believe that the Church is going backward. I tell you, the people are gaining in faith and in good works. They are colonizing the country; they are beginning to possess the earth, to own their own homes, to cultivate the soil, and they are becoming a great and a mighty people. I do not think that conditions were ever so favorable as they are today for the enlarging of the borders of Zion and for the growth of the people. Most excellent opportunities are offered for colonization, whereby the people can obtain a foothold in the land and make a living out of mother earth. The people seem to be attending to their duties and exercising a faith equal to that which has been exercised at any time since the organization of the Church. My labors during the last year have chiefly been among the people in the outlying Stakes. I have visited our settlements in Canada, in Arizona, in Mexico, and in southern Utah, and I can say we have in these Stakes a good people, a God-fearing people, a people who are willing to receive the counsels which God has for them through His mouthpiece. Those Stakes have been settled by people who have been called to go there, and it has seemed to me that those who had not the courage to carry out the instructions of God in

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establishing those places have not been able to endure the hardships and privations which came upon them, and they have therefore returned to their old homes and left those who had faith in the Lord and valued the advice He gave them through His mouthpiece, and they are among the most faithful people to be found in this Church today. I rejoice in the labor that our missionaries are performing. I rejoice in the growth of the work of the Lord in every field; for it is growing, notwithstanding the persecution that is brought against it from time to time. As long as persecution comes from without, we can combat it, and it does not injure the work of the Lord; but when there is disunion among the people, and a tendency to disregard counsel, then there is danger in Zion. So long, however, as the leading quorums of this Church are united as they are today; so long as the people are united and are willing to receive the instructions that are given of God through His Prophet, all will be well, and the Church will continue to grow and increase. People marvel today at the growth of this work from six members, Since 1830 it has grown into something like forty Stakes of Zion and many missions in the world, and the principles of the Gospel are heard in every land where liberty is granted unto us to proclaim them. It has been decreed that this Gospel shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto every people, and then shall the end come. It is remarkable the willingness that the Elders show in responding to the calls made upon them to go to the nations of the earth to proclaim this Gospel. Many who have apparently manifested no particular Interest in this work, when they are called to go forth to proclaim the Gospel, rarely ever refuse; and today there are more Elders in the world preaching this Gospel than there has ever been. This should be indeed encouraging to the Latter-day Saints. When I think of the constant drain upon this people to maintain the missionaries in the field, I marvel at the prosperity of the people. But the Lord blesses and prospers us in sustaining these missionaries and in responding to the many calls that are made upon us. This labor is upon us to carry the Gospel to the world, that those who sit in darkness may see the light. It is incumbent upon every man who holds the Priesthood of a Seventy in the Church to go forth and preach the Gospel; and if he does not when called, it will be with him as with Paul, Woe be unto him if he preach not the Gospel of Christ when he is called by the Prophet of the Lord to go forth and proclaim it. I have a testimony, my brethren and sisters, that this is the work of God. I know that the sick are healed; I know that the Lord answers the prayers of His people; I know that this people have been able on some occasions to even control the elements for their safety and for the upbuilding of Zion. I rejoice in being present with you this morning and partaking of the sweet influence of His Holy Spirit. Did this people ever come together with a desire to be fed with the bread of life, and they were not able to receive that which they desired? No, this has never been the case. God has always inclined His ear to this people; He has always delivered them from their afflictions; He has always blessed them. He has been indeed kind and fatherly to us as individuals and as a people. The prospects for the development and spread of this work were never brighter, never more hopeful, than they are at the present time. I admonish the Latter-day Saints in all lands to seek the counsel of the prophet of God. Do not be disobedient; do not be rebellious. The spirit of rebellion caused, we understand,

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one-third of the hosts of heaven to be cast out. The spirit of disobedience and rebellion has caused many a man and woman to be east out of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The graver sins do not come into our lives all at once. Very often men can trace transgression to the fact that they rebelled against the priesthood of the Son of God, and that they did not take the counsel which the Lord had given them through His mouthpiece; and they did not end with the spirit of rebellion and obedience, but they committed other great sins, and finally lost their standing in the Church of Christ. This rule will apply to us today, and I pray God that this people may ever be willing to receive the counsels which the Lord has to give through His prophet. Some become so engrossed with political parties, or with secret societies, or something of the kind, that they pay them greater devotion than they do the word of God. This is wrong. The Lord has built up this western country through His people who came here to worship Him according to the dictates of their own hearts. Let us not forget that. Let us not forget that we owe our first and foremost devotion to God, the Eternal Father. We sustain President Lorenzo Snow as the mouthpiece of God. Therefore, when he has anything to say to us as the mind and will of the Lord, it is just as binding upon us as if God spake personally to us. I ofttimes think of the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, and I sometimes think the Latter-day Saints manifest a spirit like that which was exhibited by the rich man when he was in torment on account of the evil life he had led on earth. He had brothers whom he desired to be saved, and he petitioned Father Abraham that one who had risen from the dead should go to these brothers and tell them of their ways and call them to repent. But Abraham remarked that they had Moses and the Prophets, and if they would not believe them they would not believe one though he were risen from the dead. I tell you that if we do not feel in our hearts to sustain the prophets of God, we would not believe the Lord if He were to come Himself, or if He were to send one that was risen from the dead. There Is no need for the Lord to send special messengers to tell us our duty. The Lord has placed President Lorenzo Snow as the prophet, seer and revelator to this Church; and if we desire to keep in harmony with this work we must listen to the words which the Lord God gives to us through His Prophet. May the Lord bless you, brethren and sisters; may he pour out His spirit upon us; may we never rebel, nor lose the faith; may we be willing to receive the counsel of the Lord through His Prophet whenever it is given to us. I ask it for Christ's sake. Amen.

ELDER MATTHIAS F. COWLEY

Prophetic gift of Joseph Smith -- Early manifestation of God and the ministration of Angels -- Opposition of the world -- God guides His work by revelation. My brethren and sisters, I am pleased to meet with you at this conference. I humbly ask you to pray for me, that the Holy Spirit may suggest what may be said.

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I rejoice in the celebration of the natal day of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and in being a recipient of the blessings which are enjoyed by the members thereof, and which have come to us, to a very great extent, through the labors incident to the establishment of this Church and the tribulations which were encountered by the Prophet Joseph Smith. Whatever characterized a prophet in olden times characterized the great prophet of the last days. We point very frequently to the remarkable fulfilment of predictions which have been uttered in ancient times by the Jewish prophets as an evidence of the divine authority which they bore and of the remarkable work which was accomplished by them in the interest of humanity. We may point with equal joy and satisfaction to the remarkable utterances of the Prophet Joseph, to establish the divine authenticity of his claim. I have never heard of a prediction uttered by that man which has not been verified, so far as time has brought the prophecy due. I have never discovered any characteristic associated with any of the ancient prophets of God in the work which they accomplished, and which went to prove their divine mission, which cannot be pointed to in the Prophet Joseph Smith and his work. He came to the world announcing a new dispensation. He did not derive his information respecting religious matters from reading the scriptures only. He did act upon the promise of the Apostle James, contained in the Bible, (and which is applicable to our young people in securing a testimony of the truth) where he says; "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." The Prophet, in the confusion which came to his mind by listening to the conflicting sentiments of the various factions of Christianity, resorted to reading the scripture for himself, and he concluded to test this passage that I have quoted. He was inspired with the same faith that actuated the ancient Saints of God -- the same faith that was taught by the Savior when He said, "Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." He went into the woods to pray, and he besought the Lord to know which of all the factions of Christianity was acknowledged by the God of heaven. In answer to this prayer, he received a communication from God, the Eternal Father, in which the glory of heaven rested upon him, and in that glory there was presented before this young man two heavenly personages. When he had strength to ask the question which he desired to propound, one of these personages said unto him, "This is my beloved Son; hear him." The son informed the Prophet Joseph that He did not recognize any of the denominations. Among them were honest people, people who were doing the best they could with the light they had; but they had not been founded upon the revelations of God, and He commanded this young man that he should not identify himself with any denomination, and that if he would listen to this counsel the day would come when he should be instrumental in the hands of God in accomplishing a great and a mighty work in the earth. This young man was faithful to this injunction. He did not follow the ways of the world, and in due time he received another communication from God, in which a holy angel appeared unto him and revealed to him the existence of some sacred records, (from a translation of which Brother Rudger Clawson has read a few statements), containing a brief history of the inhabitants of this continent from a period 600 years before Christ down to about 400 years after Christ; also a concise statement of a people who had come to this land from the Tower of Babel,

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when the languages were confounded. This angel of the Lord appeared to the Prophet Joseph three times during the night of the 21st of September, 1823. He met him next at the place where these sacred plates were deposited, and commanded him to meet him there on that day of the month each year for four years, when, if he was faithful in keeping the commandments of God, he should receive these sacred writings. He was faithful to this injunction, and on the 22nd of September, 1827, the angel of the Lord delivered these plates into the hands of the Prophet Joseph Smith, who translated them by the use of the Urim and Thummim, as he was led by the spirit of revelation from God. Through this we have what is called the Book of Mormon. In laying the foundation of this great work the Prophet Joseph was not sustained by the popular sentiment of mankind, nor by the hope of any worldly inducement; but he was actuated by the conviction and the understanding that he had received a revelation from God; that he had seen the Father and the Son; that he had received the ministration of holy angels. He endured the trials that the ancient prophets passed through; he suffered persecution, imprisonment and privation; he offered his life for the work, and he sealed his testimony with his blood. The Apostle Paul tells us that where there is a testament there is of necessity the death of the testator. He has offered to the world his testimony, the fulfilment of his prophecies, the verification of the promises mad by him. Those who would listen to this voice of inspiration and receive the Gospel as revealed through him were promised that they should receive a witness for themselves. In the offering made by the Prophet Joseph Smith nothing was withheld that was offered by the ancient prophets of God and by the Savior himself. And I wish to bear testimony that I have received the witness that Joseph Smith was a prophet of the Almighty. I have received the testimony that he was commanded of God to found this work and to organize the Church after the primitive pattern; that he received revelation and was guided by it all the days of his life, from the inception of the work until the hour when his life was sacrificed in Carthage Jail for the testimony of Jesus and the word of God. The Saints of God, in all the trying ordeals through which they passed under the administration of the Prophet Joseph Smith, were sustained and preserved. In the establishment of this work it was designed of the Father that the same spirit and power should continue with the Church down to the latest period of time; and I wish to bear my testimony -- and I wish my brethren and sisters to remember it and to instill it into the hearts of their children -- that the prophets who have stood at the head of his Church since the death of the Prophet Joseph have been guided by the spirit of revelation. I am reminded of a statement made by the Prophet Amos, in his 3rd chapter and 7th verse: "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." In view of this, we may say that when He did not have a prophet upon the earth He was not doing anything, so far as the great plan of salvation is concerned; that is, the ordinances of that plan were not being administered, and He was not communicating His will to His children respecting the plan of redemption. However, His hand was manifest in

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the progress and in the enlightenment of the world, and in the extension of human liberty. Where there has been no prophet of God the people have not received the light of revelation to the extent that they could understand and apply the ordinances of salvation. As Solomon says, in Proverb 29: 18: "Where there is no vision, the people perish;" and Hosea said that the Lord had spoken by prophets, and had multiplied visions and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets. "By a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved." And I want to say to the Latter-day Saints that Israel in modern times have been preserved by the same means. Those who listened to the voice of the inspired Prophet in the commencement, no matter what sacrifice it cost them, were sustained by the power of God. This is true also respecting the administration of President Brigham Young. What a wonderful work he accomplished, building upon the foundation laid by God through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and carrying out the plan which had been predicted by the Prophet Joseph! In leading the Latter-day Saints to those mountains and establishing their feet here, he was but carrying out the great plan that had been revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith, who had prophesied on the 6th of August, 1843, that some of the people would die of persecution, some would die of trial and hardship, but some, he said, would live to go beyond the Rocky Mountains and see the Latter-day Saints become a mighty people in that region of country. This prophecy has been fulfilled as well as other predictions he uttered in connection with this work, as established in those mountain valleys. The Latter-day Saints are safe as long as they listen to the voice of inspiration. I rejoice that we have President Lorenzo Snow with us today. I rejoice that the Lord has spared his life. He is now eighty-five years of age; he is in the possession of all his faculties, bright, clear and active; and God has sustained him in his administrations, and brought him to stand at our head at this present period of time. I am reminded of what was said of the Prophet Moses, that notwithstanding his age his eye waxed not dim, neither did his natural force abate. The Lord has done this for those who have presided over His Church in the last days. He has sustained them in body and in mind: He has preserved their lives, that we might profit by their vast experience. I rejoice in this fact, and I wish to express my gratitude before God and before this congregation that the Lord has preserved President Snow to administer unto us and to give us the benefit of his great experience in this latter day work. I trust, my brethren and sisters, that during our conference we shall be fed with the bread of life, that we shall receive here a little and there a little, and that from what is said by the speakers each and every one of us may find something applicable to ourselves, which we can take home and carry out in our daily lives. I trust also that we may have the spirit of the business that may be transacted at this conference, whatever it may be. There is a very great responsibility resting upon the authorities of the Church. I feel that it is an immense responsibility to be a servant of God. I feel my unworthiness in occupying such a position among the Saints of God, and I cannot occupy it unless I am sustained by the Almighty. But while there is a great responsibility resting upon the Presidency and the general authorities of this Church, there is a corresponding responsibility resting upon every man and every woman in the Church. We are not alone in hearing the holy priesthood, we are not the only ones that have received the testimony of the Holy Ghost. We all have received this testimony

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who have been brought into communion with God. Hence there is a responsibility of a weighty character resting upon all of us, in every avenue of life and in all the interests of this work. And the interests of this work are varied. They are not all what is called spiritual; if they were, we would die temporally. They are not all temporal; if they were, we would die spiritually. But it is all spiritual unto God. He designs that the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion, and that in all things we shall be actuated by the spirit of God, so that all we do may be sanctified to His honor and glory and to the accomplishment of His great work upon the earth. May the Lord bless you, my brethren and sisters; and when we leave this conference, may we leave it renewed in strength, in faith and in a determination to keep the commandments of God and walk in the paths of life. This is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen. The choir sang the hymn commencing. How are thy servants blest! O Lord, How sure is their defense! Benediction was pronounced by Patriarch John Smith.

FIRST DAY AFTERNOON MEETING

Singing by the choir: On the mountain top appearing Lo! the sacred herald stands! Welcome news to Zion bringing Zion, long in hostile lands. Prayer by Elder John Nicholson. The choir sang the hymn which begins: Truth reflects upon our senses, Gospel light reveals to some, If there still should be offenses, Woe to them by whom they come.

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ANTHON H. LUND
Giving employment to the poor -- Home manufactures. I hope while I shall speak to you, my brethren and sisters, that I shall be under the influence of the same spirit as guided our beloved brethren who spoke this forenoon. It is pleasant to have the privilege of meeting with the Saints in general Conference. We feel that there is a great deal of the spirit of God present and we delight to hear our leaders speak unto us. At this Conference we are favored by having the First Presidency, the Apostles, and the Presidents of Seventies with us. I do not remember that this has been the case for many years. I believe that during this Conference the Lord will bless us and give us a rich outpouring of His Holy Spirit. One of the brethren this forenoon alluded to the many hundreds of Elders we have in the field working for the spread of the truth. We have glorious reports from the different missions; our brethren are doing well and laboring to gather sheep into the fold of Christ; and the Lord is blessing their endeavors. Now, while the great majority of us are not called upon to go out into the active missionary field, there is still a great mission which all of us can perform. The Latter-day Saints at home have a great deal to do. Our brethren gather Israel from the different nations of the earth. Most of the Saints when they come have exhausted their means in bringing them to Zion; they come to a strange land; the customs are different, and they have not many acquaintances, though they have many friends. We should look after these, that they be not discouraged. They may not be able to find the kind of work they have been used to do, and we may not be able to provide that for them, but we should try to give them an opportunity to earn their livelihood. We do not want to make paupers of them. We want to study ways and devise means whereby they can earn their living in our midst. Our missionaries who return should continue to take the same lively interest in the Saints after they gather as they did when they were laboring in their midst in the different fields abroad. Sometimes they feel hurt when they come here and no notice is taken of them. The missionaries who are acquainted with them should take some interest in them and try to do something for them. A great many are doing this, and I am always pleased when I hear the missionaries make inquiries about acquaintances, to know if they arrived; and to see interest taken in them; but I have seen other cases where our emigrants have felt as if they were not looked after, and if under such circumstances, when they feel a little slighted, they should come in contact with those who are disaffected it may make them so, and cause some of them to return to the places where they formerly lived; and such have at times done a great deal of harm to the cause, We can fulfill part of a mission in looking after the Saints when they have gathered; we should see to

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it that employment is provided for them. In early years those who embraced the Gospel were mostly from the rural districts-farmers. When they came here they did not want to stay in the city; they wanted to go out where they could get land and the same kind of employment they had been used to, and they soon established themselves and prospered. Of late years our missionaries in Europe have not been able to do much among the rural population, but have done more in the cities, and more of those who live in large cities have joined the Church than of those outside the cities, and when these come here they seek the more populous centers as they are not accustomed to farming. Such should be looked after and encouraged to go out into the settlements. Our settlements here are not like the rural districts in Europe. Nearly all of our settlements have the advantages of cities -- good schools, good societies, and the advantages that are found in cities in the old world are to a certain extent to be found in most of our larger settlements. Our brethren and sisters who come from the cities, need not stay here in Salt Lake City to enjoy the same advantages they died before they came, but they can go out into the larger settlements, and it will not be hard for those who are not too old to accustom themselves to labor on the farms. Many who have been brought up to a certain kind of employment in factories, or different handicrafts, may not be able to get the same kind of employment here, but many of them can go out and take hold of the work that is to be found in our settlements, and it will not take them long to establish themselves and get homes of their own. They will feel happier in doing so, and though farming is often connected with hard work, the labor has been lightened of late years to a great degree. Our farmers by getting machinery, can do much of their work sitting, and the hard work that our brethren tell us they did in early days is not required today. I speak thus to encourage our brethren and sisters, who have come to these larger cities and cannot get employment, to go out into the more distant settlements. I believe there are about as good openings now as there ever were. There are many places where people can take up lands yet, or can get land cheaply and have a chance to work for the land they get. It is true they cannot take up large tracts of land as the earlier settlers might have done if they had so desired, but they did not do that. The counsel was to make small farms, and we have seen the wisdom of this. The brethren who will go out now need not fear that they will starve and will be in want of anything. Our brethren and sisters out in the country feel to help those who come into their midst. The Industrial Bureau, which was established, I hope will be an institution that can do much good for our poor. Those who have means ought to study how to use their means to give employment, that there should not be any idle hands in Zion. The hoarding up of means, trying to get riches for riches' sake, will not make a man happy. We had a text read here this morning by Brother Clawson, which I think is an excellent one. The prophet advises us before seeking riches, that we should seek the kingdom of God, and after we have done that, then he promises that we shall get riches, if we will seek them for the sole purpose of doing good. I believe the Lord will bless this people and make them a rich people if they will first seek His kingdom and His righteousness, and providing the object in gathering riches will be that they may be able to do more good. We used to have more preaching upon home manufacture. I believe those teachings

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are as good today as they were years ago. What if we cannot follow the fashions from abroad to so great an extent? We ought to make ourselves a self-sustaining people; we have all the elements right here in our State to make us such. Yesterday I read the report of Z. C. M. I. for the last year. It said there had been about seventy thousand pairs of shoes made by that factory. This is quite a step toward stopping the importation of shoes. If we had ten such factories in our midst I presume we could supply our needs in the shoe line. The report also stated that they had made some one hundred and thirty thousand garments -- overalls and jumpers. I was pleased with this item. Though they do not make much money in these departments, yet they keep a great deal of means in our midst; and this should be encouraged. We should encourage all of our home institutions that are trying to stop the outlet of means, so that the money we obtain can be kept in circulation among us a longer time. Let us take a pride in our home manufactures. Let us see to it that we do as much as we can to give our poor employment. I am sorry to think our tanneries have not been a success; I think they could be made so. We have an enormous lot of hides going out from this State. They are tanned abroad and brought back here in a manufactured shape. We could retain a great deal of means here by manufacturing our own leather. Bark is not easy to be secured here, but perhaps other means of obtaining tannic acid can be had and a success made of this branch of industry. All of our wool that goes out and is brought back as cloth would have been a great saving if we could have manufactured it here, and then sent it out as manufactured goods. Brethren and sisters, there are so many things that our leading brethren in the different settlements should study and think of and advise the people to do that we may be a prosperous people. We cannot afford to keep up the style we do and do it on raising wheat and selling that at forty cents a bushel. Some change must be had in this. I noticed when I was back on my mission in visiting my native land, Denmark, that a great change has come over that country. They formerly exported their rye and other grain, and while they did so they were a poor people. Of late years they import grain, feed it to their stock and export their butter, their eggs, and their meat to England. They have been able to obtain a higher price for their articles of export. The farms there are prospering, or rather, they would have prospered, if they had kept to their old methods, frugality and simple manners; but they are trying to educate their boys and giving them city appetites; they can not live on their country incomes, and they are going into debt, giving mortgages on their farms, while they are getting several times as much means as they were wont to do. I bring this up for our consideration. I believe if we could use up our grain at home and export that which does not weigh so much, we would not have to pay so much freight, would have more means and make ourselves more independent. I have got on the subject of home manufacture. I believe it is a thing we ought to study, brethren and sisters, for our well being, and we should look after the poor and give them employment.

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May God bless you all and bless our leaders, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

ELDER MARRINER W. MERRILL

Expansiveness of the Latter-day Saints -- Material Interests of the people -- Debt should be avoided -- A profitable course for young people -- Value of the counsels of the Priesthood. At these conferences there are so many subjects discussed that they can not fail to be edifying to all of the people. If only one subject were introduced and all of the speakers dwelt upon it, perhaps it would not be so interesting. I am glad to be associated with my brethren and sisters in this general conference. I have had a good many reflections in listening to the remarks we have already heard. They have brought many things to my mind of a former date and of former times here in this country. While it is the privilege of all Latter-day Saints to have evidence for themselves of the truth of the Gospel and of the divine mission of the Prophet Joseph, we are not only instructed and reminded on these subjects, but are reminded of affairs that pertain to us of a temporal character. The Latter-day Saints are growing and spreading abroad. I met a gentleman on the train the other day from San Francisco. He was born and raised there; and he hadn't heard anything about our people; and he seemed very anxious to know something about the doctrines of our Church. I said to him: 'We have a mission established in California; we have Elders laboring in the city where you hail from; you can hear our Elders any Sunday if you will inquire after them; and you can become acquainted with the doctrines of our Church.' He remarked that he supposed nearly all of the Latter-day Saints lived in Salt Lake City, and that during the last forty years there had not been much growth among them; that there had not been much expansion. I remarked to him that I was surprised that a man of his intelligence was not better acquainted with this people. Forty years ago I suppose the majority of the Latter-day Saints were located in this valley -- Salt Lake Valley, but today they are spread abroad and I advise the gentleman to get our Church works and read them; and it was a good opportunity to bear my testimony to him of the Gospel. I believe there are many hundreds of thousands of good honest people in the world that have but a very limited knowledge and perhaps no knowledge at all of the existence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We would naturally suppose that everybody had heard of us from what has been said and published concerning us; but there are a great many people that have not time to read those things. It is on a par with our conferences. A great many of our people right here in the city do not have time to come to conference; they are too busy, and they don't know anything of what is being done. Thus it is with the world; a great many of them don't know that such a people exist as the Latter-day

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Saints in these mountains; and they have no idea of our expansion, our growth, and our development in this country. I said a few moments ago that the Latter-day Saints may satisfy themselves with regard to the divine mission of the Prophet Joseph, and what does it require to become satisfied? It requires time and attention and a prayerful and thoughtful consideration of the doctrines of the Church, and of the scriptures; that which is written in the Bible, in the Book of Mormon, and the Church publications. Entreat the Lord in regard to it and no man will be turned away. It is said: "Knock and it shall be opened unto you; ask and ye shall receive." Do this that as members of the Church you may be able to give a reason for the hope that you have and have a testimony of this work. There are a great many conditions existing among the Latter-day Saints on which we may improve. Apostle Lund referred to home manufacture. But little has been said about it of late years. There was a time when there was quite an excitement raised throughout the country about home production. I presume those things are going forward gradually, as we can find a great many things of home production throughout the country. It is a good thing and we should encourage it, sustain it, think about it, study about it, not only here but in all of the organizations of the Church. It is a grand thing to be self-supporting. An individual, a family, or a community that is self-supporting is the best off. They are easiest in their circumstances. I believe we have made many mistakes in the past as a people and as individuals; and there is no doubt but that we will continue to make mistakes from time to time, because our judgments are not perfect, and we follow the solicitations of our families and of our friends, and indulge in things that we should not indulge in. It is my opinion that we are being led to habits of extravagance and the result will be serious. It militates against us, and it militates against our improvement and advancement. I was thinking while Brother Lund was talking about the poor being employed, that if every man and woman in the Church (because there are sisters that manage things for themselves), that are able would employ some one or two or more as their circumstances would warrant there would be nobody looking for work; everybody would he employed. There are people that have natural endowments enough from the Lord to direct the labors of others to their own profit and to the profit of those whom they employ. This is a matter for consideration by those who have means, to employ some of our poor. In some of the counties they begin to feel like throwing the poor on the county to support. They say: 'We pay our taxes to the county and the State and the poor should receive consideration from our officials in the county capacity or in the State capacity as the case may be. I do not think this is the proper thing. I do not think there should be anybody foisted upon the county for support. If we turn the poor off, peradventure the Lord will turn us off, for He said: 'The poor ye have always, but me ye have not always.' I do not believe we can afford to turn the poor off on the county for support. I believe if the Latter-day Saints would turn their ear to the Lord and listen to the counsel of His servants that there would be means provided in all the settlements of the Saints to provide for the poor. They should not be turned on the Church either for support, but they should be provided for as the Lord has directed. It is my firm conviction, coupled with my experience, that if the poor were properly

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looked after in every ward and the people were particular to understand the necessities of the poor, every ward (there may be some exceptions) could support its poor without turning them on the county or Church for support. There are places in the Church where comparatively there are no poor. Well, the responsibility rests upon the people to contribute of their offerings for the benefit of the poor Just as much as if they had plenty of poor to consume all they gave in. The counties have plenty of use for their means. We have lived here a good many years and in some places it is difficult to travel because of the conditions of the roads and highways. The counties have plenty of places to put their means for the benefit of the great public. They can make our highways such as they are in the older countries. I heard day before yesterday from an eminent financier, a remark that struck me with considerable force. He was telling me how to get out of debt. It may be that you would like to know, for I imagine a good many of our people here are in debt. This brother of long experience, who had passed through the mill, told me how to get out of debt and how the people could get out of debt. I listened with a good deal of attention, because I thought it was worth something, and something that all of us ought to know, for a great many of us don't know and have it yet to learn. It was simply this: "Stop immediately from going into debt. Don't go into debt another dollar until you get out and are free." That is a simple way, and it might prove to be an easy way, too, if we would do it. Stop going into debt; don't buy anything you can't pay for from this time henceforth until It can he said, "Israel is free; there is a free people, untrammeled, not in bondage up there in the mountains; they are lenders, not borrowers; they will lend you money if you will give them good security." This is the situation the Lord will bring us to bye and bye, when He educates us a little further and takes us through the school of experience. We will come to this because the Lord has designed it. It is said that the people of the Lord will be a rich people. I believe this. I have heard promises from our eminent brethren of experience to the effect that the Lord would help us this one time if we would help ourselves in the future and cease our habits of extravagance. Everywhere, in all of our homes, we should cease these habits of extravagance; learn to economize; learn to save; learn to be prudent, wise, and judicious in the administration of our affairs. And young people that are of a marriageable age should get married. I don't mean to become engaged and then wait two or three years, or one year -- to become engaged and think they are just about as good as married. I advise that they get married when they are of a proper age, and when they are married to cease as soon as possible to work for wages. Go out and do something for yourselves. Go somewhere; there are many opportunities in the West and in the South. We receive letters from people all over the country telling of opportunities for young people to commence in life, settle down, and become independent; where they can make themselves homes and rear their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. This idea of people always working for a salary with nothing else to depend upon, I don't believe is a good thing for young people. I believe they ought to become independent, and not depend always upon some one else for a livelihood. It is true it is very pleasant to be

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in the city; it is very pleasant to have the society there is in the city, and to have the amusement and the natural advantages that accrue to the people; but the question is, can you afford it as young people? I know there is an idea growing up in the midst of the young people that they can not get married until they have as much as their father or their mother; they must have a nice home, well furnished before they can take a life partner. I believe this is wrong. I believe young people of a proper age ought to get married and they ought to depend upon themselves; and a young man should marry a young woman that is willing to put forth her efforts to help. Get a helpmeet; one that will help to make your advances in life; help to make you a home; help to sustain the family; and will do something for the good of the community. This would be my advice and my counsel to our young people. Cease entertaining this idea that you cannot get married until you have a home furnished and everything pertaining to it; nice surroundings, nice lawn and all such. Make the lawn yourself, and make your home Just as beautiful as you desire. It Is a good thing to have these surroundings; it is proper; but when it comes to putting off the important things in life, the important matters, for a few years, until circumstances are such that they can marry, I don't believe it is a good thing. That is the way of the world. They have grown up with that idea in our large cities. Young people become enamored of city life. It is a good thing to have cities, but it is a good thing for young people to reflect and think over these things; and when they earn a dollar they should know how it comes. People who earn their money know Just exactly how it comes, and they know better how to save it. These things should have the consideration of the young people. They should also be considered by the parents, because parents sometimes feel: "O, I don't want my son to go away off out there, and I don't want my daughter to go away from me and go out in the country somewhere;" and young people get discouragement many times from their parents. These things I know to be a fact, and I do not believe they have good results. Our people are a growing and prosperous people, and we should observe the counsels of the servants of God In regard to these things. This is a matter that is becoming more or less in disuse among the Latter-day Saints-to listen to the whisperings of the Lord through His servants. I repeat, it is becoming more or less in disuse among the people! and the older ones are educating the young people that it is not so very important to listen to the counsels of the servants of God. But I want to say unto you that according to my education and experience in the Church there is no other way whereby we may be saved; there is no other way whereby we may be exalted; there is no other way whereby we may obtain eternal life. We must yield to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit; we must yield to the counsels of the Priesthood, no matter what the world may think in regard to these things. It is a principle that God has established in the earth; God has established it and we can not change it. Those that will listen, and turn their ears to the, Lord will be on the right side bye and bye; when the sheep are separated from the goats, those who have listened to the whisperings of the Lord through His servants will be found on the right side; and they will be remembered and they will have said to them: "Come ye blessed of my Father, etc." According to my education and experience in the Church, and according to the teachings I have had and the suggestions through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, there is no man, I don't care what his standing is;

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he may be a president of a stake, or an apostle, no matter, he can not safely gainsay the counsel of the Priesthood. If he does he will have it to meet some day Just as sure as the sun rises and sets. I know this as well as I know that I look upon this congregation. We must observe the will of the Lord; we must observe the counsels of the Priesthood, no matter what the world may think in regard to these things; and we can do this in "all humility and maintain our right and manhood, and maintain our fellowship with each other and with the Lord: but when we turn away from these things we are like the sow that was washed and returned to her wallowing in the mire. The Lord has established His work; He is about to establish His kingdom; He has revealed the everlasting Gospel; and He has revealed the principle by which you and I may go back into His presence; but when we turn a deaf ear to these things, through some motive or other that may arise in our minds, we will have to atone for it sooner or later. Write it down in your journals if you please, because these are eternal principles of truth revealed to the Latter-day Saints! We are in advance of the world in regard to these things. The Lord has been merciful to us. He has given us line upon line, precept upon precept; here a little and there a little; not given it to us all at one time. We did not have everything revealed in the days of the Prophet Joseph; but we do not live up to what was revealed in his day. There are a great many things revealed to His servants from time to time that immediately concern the people. Many of the revelations in the Book of Covenants concerning the people at the time they were given, and there are revelations given that concern the people today. The Bible is an excellent record, a good hook to study, a good book to become acquainted with. The Book of Mormon is an excellent record, and precious truths are contained in it as well as the Bible, and the Book of Covenants is an excellent book given from, the Lord, but the whole of them together are not all that we need, be cause as circumstances and conditions change with the people, the Lord has His mouthpiece to say what shall be done and how it shall be done and on what occasions it shall be done. That is not written perhaps at all. You may hunt through, and through these books, and you would not find what you want to know. What shalt we do? Turn our ear to the Lord and to the counsels of His Prophet and of His servants, and then we will be in harmony with the Bible, the Book of Mormon and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and in harmony with the Lord; but when we depart from this and go astray, we are liable to be led into the dark, and when those who have been in the light get in the dark, O, "how great is that darkness'" These are matters for our consideration. In our secret places we should sit in judgment upon ourselves and ask ourselves such questions: How has been my course today; has it been approved of the Lord? We may know by the whisperings of the Holy Spirit whether or not our course has been approved by the Lord; and if we feel condemned, then we may know that there is something wrong with us. We want to be wise and prudent; want to be kind and good to one another; and learn to love one another; to love the Gospel and the work of God above everything else In the world. We get into a certain groove and think we must hang to that groove, and we can not be pulled out of it. It is not a good thing for any of us to get into grooves. Here are the living oracles of the Church that God has placed here to regulate all of the affairs of the people, not only in spiritual things but temporal things as well -- in building up the various cities, in opening and developing the country. Who knows better than the Lord? And may not His servants have the whisperings of His Holy Spirit to direct them?

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Certainly; that is what the Lord has placed them in the Church for; and that is why we vote to sustain them in their position. We sustain the President as President of the Church in all the world. But how do we sustain him? Do we consider our vote? Do we consider the covenants we have made with the Lord when we turn a deaf ear to the counsels of the Priesthood? Brethren and sisters, let us be just, let us be true, let us be kind, and give to the poor; and let us pay our tithing as well as our offerings. This is the will of the Lord; and who among the Latter-day Saints is any poorer for having paid his or her tithing? Nobody who has done this and contributed to the building up of the kingdom of God and to the spreading of the Gospel in various lands. Let us not forget the Lord in our tithes and our offerings. If we do, peradventure, He will forget us. If we want to be remembered of the Lord we should remember Him in our tithes and our offerings; devote ourselves to the work of the Lord and the Lord will be merciful to us. God bless you. Amen.

PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON

The great and beneficent physical and spiritual effects brought to the world by the organization of the Church. We have had at this Conference, so far, some very practical instructions and the Spirit of the Lord has been manifestly in our midst. I have had a good many reflections, that I hope will be profitable to me; and if I can relate some of them, I would like to do so this afternoon. In sitting here and contemplating that which has taken place, and this large congregation, the reflection occurs to me that this is the completion of sixty-nine years since this Church was organized, since the Lord commenced this great work of which we form a part, and there are many interesting thoughts connected with this event. I could not help but think of some of the results of this organization of six members into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sixty-nine years ago. What has it done for the world? What changes have been wrought by the establishment of this Church? How much better is the world for its organization! How much better are we, who are members of this Church than we would have been had it not been organized in our day! Sixty-nine years ago but little or nothing was known about God. Communication between heaven and earth had entirely ceased. Every popular minister, and every man of science, every man that made any pretension to education, declared at that time that God had ceased to talk to man; that all communication between heaven and earth had been entirely cut off; that God had spoken eighteen hundred years before and had revealed His will, but since then He had remained

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silent. No man had heard His voice; no man had beheld His person; no man had received communication from Him; but all were left to wander as they pleased, to be guided by that which had been written so long before. The personality of God Himself was unknown. Extraordinary ideas prevailed as to the character of our God. That which had been written in the Scriptures concerning Him had been looked upon as spiritual; to be spiritualized and not real. He was declared not to be a personage of tabernacle, not to be able to walk, nor to talk, nor to hear, having none of these organs by which communication was had; but that He was a spirit, diffused through space. The most extraordinary ideas prevailed on this subject. The communication of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ dissipated that ignorance; it gave to mankind a knowledge of God; it restored to the earth the gifts and graces of the Gospel; it removed doubt concerning the plan of salvation; it revealed clearly the ordinances, by obedience to which man could be saved. It has had the effect of bringing the Gospel, the word of God, the salvation of God, to the poorest and to the humblest on the earth. We heard this morning about class distinctions. No power could have been more effective in leveling class distinctions, and it may be said in destroying them, than the revelation of this Gospel and the establishment of this Church. The thousands who have heard the Gospel in various lands, in lands of oppression, in the midst of poverty and destitution and hopelessness, where there was no prospect before them and their children, only to toil and live lives of drudgery, of poverty and deprivation -- the thousands who in this condition have heard the message of salvation have had their hearts gladdened; it has been an emancipation for them, or a means of emancipation to deliver them from these sad and disheartening circumstances, because this brought to them a knowledge that they were the children of God, equally valuable, it may be said, equally esteemed in the presence of God with those who possessed so many advantages over them. The toiler in Europe, the man working in the mines in England or in Scotland, the toiler in Germany and in Scandinavia -these men so low that they were almost deprived of all hope, have heard the Gospel. It has come as a salvation to them and a means of deliverance. I heard one man say, who is now a Bishop in the north, that in Scandinavia, where he lived, he envied the position of the horse, and wished he had been born a horse. Why? Because the horse was cared for; the horse was fed; the horse was carefully housed; he had value; when he died it was a loss to his master; but as to him, the working man, he might die, and what loss would it be to anybody? Not to his master. It might be to his wife, or to his children, but not to his master. He could toil, could go hungry; he could go partly clad; he could go miserably housed and provided for; the animal that possessed value was worth something; that could be cared for, carefully blanketed at night, fed well and kept in a warm stable, and if he were sick taken care of that he might not die. This man's statement concerning his feelings was very strongly put; but his condition was that of thousands when this Gospel reached them. What has it done for them? It has lifted them up; it has made them feel that they are the children of God -- peers of every one else on the earth, no matter how rich, no matter how learned, no matter how many advantages others may possess, they are equal before the Lord with all of them. "Mormonism" has done this for the world. It has made every man, that is worthy, a Priest of God; it has had this effect. You have heard talk today about prophets; you have heard talk

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about oracles; you have heard talk about leaders and men being entrusted with authority; but there is nothing that is said about any one of these that does not apply to every man in this Church. Every man that has embraced this Gospel is raised to this dignity and to this power. Therefore, this Church has been a great blessing to the poor of every land. Those who have heard this Gospel have been delivered by it from their bondage and from their oppression, and they are brought to a land of liberty where they can receive of the benefits that liberty bestows and all of the advantages which the Lord has promised to the inhabitants of this land. These, my brethren and sisters, are some of the blessings that have flowed to us in sixty-nine years. When I reflect upon all of the consequences that have followed that great and important event, although so little noticed by the world, my mind fails to grasp it in all its details, the benefits are so numerous. They extend in so many directions, not only to us who have received this Gospel; but to the world at large. They feel the effect of it. Contemplate the condition of the world when this Gospel was restored! What was known about heaven? What was known about hell? There are two places, one of bliss, the other a place of torment. How much terror was entertained by the people at large concerning this place of torment. To have to think that this was endless; to think how the hearts of mothers were wrung with anguish at the death of their wayward children, of their loved ones, when they were told by men who assumed authority and to whom they had been taught to look with respect, that they were eternally damned -- sent to a place of torment worlds without end! Think of the misery of human souls in contemplating such fearful results! Is it any wonder that men wished they had never been born? They did not know what to do. Suicide brought no relief; they could not get deliverance from the inexorable consequences of living, because their souls were indestructible. They could not hope to escape from the justice of God, go where they might. And this feeling of hopelessness and misery filled thousands of bosoms, millions, I may say; but what did this Gospel do? It brought light from God, the author of our being, Instead of thinking it was a bad condition to be born, it produced a feeling of gladness in the hearts of men and women that they ever had been born; because when they saw the justice of God, that they would get rewarded according to the deeds done in the body, all fear vanished, for they would be dealt with by a just and merciful God and not a tyrant, such as the world described the Lord to be. Not only this, but think of the glad tidings of salvation that have come to us through the revelations that God has given to this Church respecting the dead and their future fate. Before, the popular idea was that the unnumbered millions of heathen who had died in ignorance of the Gospel had been sent to this endless place of torment; that they were sent to hell without any hope of deliverance through the endless ages of eternity. The feeling of those who would dare think upon this subject, when such thoughts were presented to them, was only to hate, as a monster, the God who would do such things. What could be mere monstrous than to send innocent people to hell for not being that which they knew nothing of? No wonder that men revolted at the thought. No wonder that men defied the Almighty under such misconceptions. The Gospel has brought to us revelations concerning this. We

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see our God in all His beauty; in all His grandeur; clothed with all those attributes that call forth our highest admiration and worship. We can worship Him in spirit and in truth. What has the organization of this Church done for us in regard to the future? Why, heaven is no longer a place that is vague and indefinite in our minds, or in the minds of the children of men to whom revelation has come. Heaven is something to be desired; not to sit idly and play upon golden harps; but heaven is a place of activity, a place of progress; that which furnishes man his highest enjoyment on the earth; that which develops and calls out his highest and noblest qualities, we are to have in heaven. And this is no new revelation; but it is beclouded and misunderstood by the world. "Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many," the Scriptures say. What does that mean? That the man who has done his duty in his sphere here on the earth faithfully will have an enlarged sphere hereafter; will have greater power, more opportunities for development; shall have every God-like power; every power and attribute that we have derived from our ancestry -- that is, from God our Eternal Father. We shall have roam for infinite gratification, unlimited gratification, going on from one degree of power to another, and exercising it as our Father exercises it in the midst of the eternities. Is there not something delightful in this thought, and in the contemplation of such a future? If I have children; if I have a wife, I shall have them in eternity. I shall preside over that family no matter how small it may be, or how large it may extend, They will be my kingdom; for this is the promise of God. What is there that is more delightful in the contemplation of the future than this thought, that those with whom we are associated here, with whom our lives and happiness is entwined; who give unto us the greatest pleasure, because of the love we have for them and they have for us; that that union shall be perpetuated throughout eternity, and that there shall be an increase of that love and of that union and an increase also of that power, because the power of procreation is promised -- the greatest power that man possesses on the earth. That is promised unto those who are faithful. I know the world say this is materialistic; that we take wrong views of this; that we are not spiritual enough. Well, I am willing to have that charge leveled against me. I want to be materialistic in this sense. I want to enjoy that which we enjoy here, purified, exalted, and increased beyond my comprehension or your comprehension at the present time; and we are to have this glory and this power; the Lord promises it unto us. Therefore, it can be said of us as it was said of our Lord and Savior, "to the increase of His kingdom there shall be no end." Why? Because of this principle that I spoke of -- the principle of procreation. By it, and through that principle the worlds are peopled. The planetary orbs which stud our heavens so gloriously are peopled by that principle -- the principle of procreation. God possesses it, and we as His children inherit the power. If we do what is right He promises to bestow it upon us. Our heaven, then, is materialistic in this sense; it is not altogether spiritual. But it is spiritual also. We shall have spiritual joy; we shall have spiritual pleasures such as have been described to us this day, for it is the highest pleasure or joy the human soul is capable of, to worship God, to do His will, keep His commandments and to serve Him. This is the highest pleasure that human beings can attain unto, and we shall have it in eternity, and it shall be the chief source of our enjoyment and of our happiness in the world to come.

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These are a few of the blessings that have come to us through the revelation of the Gospel and the organization of the Church sixty-nine years ago today. Think of it! What happiness it has brought to us individually! Each man and each woman in this congregation could tell this for himself or herself. Each one could reflect upon the benefits that have flowed to him or her individually. Contemplate the greatness of the work, the effect of the work upon the whole world wherever this Gospel has been preached, and it has been carried to many lands. It has brought release to many captives; it has gladdened the hearts of the people of the civilized nations. It has reached even the barbarians, and it has gladdened their hearts. It has inspired the hearts of our Indian races with new hope, for they have had presented to them the promises of God made to their fathers, and they look forward to their fulfillment, and they look forward with joy to their redemption. It has been proclaimed to some extent to the Jews, though the time has not yet come for them to embrace it. Still, it comes with the promise, and filled with the hope to these scattered remnants of the House of Israel, these despised people who are persecuted in lands of civilization, because they are assured that the promises concerning them and their restoration to their ancient land will be fulfilled. It has brought hope to the islands of the Pacific, to those despised races who have before them extinction unless this Gospel saves them; and it has filled them with hope and anticipation. In fact, it has gladdened the hearts of the people of every land who have heard the glad tidings of salvation. It has had more to do to dissipate ignorance and to save mankind than any other agency that has ever existed among the inhabitants of the earth since the days of the Redeemer. We can well spend money to send our missionaries with such glad tidings as they are to bear. We can do this freely, because the results are such as to gladden us and to make us rejoice that we have the opportunity of doing this. I would like to send every son I have, if circumstances would permit, to the world to deliver the glad tidings of salvation; to relate to the people of the world what God has done in the earth during these many years, commencing as it were in a small place, in a corner, and gradually spreading. "Light broke forth in darkness," as we are told it should do. It has broken forth, and it gradually spreading. As is written: "A light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness." It has broken forth, and it has spread gradually, is spreading gradually and illumining a larger circle, spreading into many lands and will continue until it will enlighten the whole earth. The light of this Gospel, the power of this salvation, the extent and future of this work, and the knowledge of it, will spread from land to land, from nation to nation, from kindred to kindred, until it will embrace the whole of the inhabitants of the earth; and they will see it and understand it and the prophecies and promises of God will every one be fulfilled concerning this work which He has established. That God may bless us; that we may be true and faithful; that we may have wisdom to do as we should do; that we may continue faithful and forget worldly things, is my prayer in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. The choir sang the anthem, Light and truth.

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Benediction by Elder C. D. Fjelsted.

SECOND DAY MORNING MEETING

Friday, April 7th, 10 a.m. The choir and congregation sang the hymn which begins: Redeemer of Israel, Our only delight. Prayer by Elder David H. Cannon. Singing by the choir: 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.

PRESIDENT LORENZO SNOW

I am very much pleased to meet with the brethren and sisters and our friends this morning. We have another beautiful day, like yesterday, and I hope that the Latter-day Saints feel happy. We had an excellent meeting yesterday. The spirit of the Lord was with us greatly; the most excellent ideas and suggestions were made to us by the different speakers; the beauties and glories of what the Lord has accomplished already, and those we anticipate and are sure He will accomplish in the future, were clearly portrayed before us. If we will be as quiet as we were yesterday and exercise faith we will have just as good a meeting today and the Spirit of the Lord will inspire the speakers. We have invited the Salt Lake Temple choir to be with us during the remaining part of our conference and it will be called upon occasionally to interest the Latter-day Saints. We think they will be pleased with this opportunity of hearing this choir, which has been employed in the Temple here for about six years. Brethren and sisters, God bless you and pour out His spirit upon us this day, that we

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may greatly rejoice, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

ELDER JOHN W. TAYLOR

Restoration of the Gospel and the obligation to preach it -- Missionary work in Colorado and adjacent districts -- Promises of the Lord fulfilled -- Signs follow the believer -- Beneficial effects of opposition -- The Kingdom to cover the earth. I am requested to make a few remarks this morning, and I ask an interest in the faith and prayers of the Latter-day Saints and their friends, that what I may say might be dictated by the Spirit of God, because I feel that where a man speaks under that influence he will always speak right, and when he does not speak under that influence he will always speak wrong. You are no doubt aware that I have been away from you for a little time in the State of Colorado preaching the Gospel. I do not think I could say anything more appropriate this morning than to dwell a little while upon the missionary labors in that district, as there are many here whose sons are in that land spreading the truth. We all heard the very interesting remarks yesterday of President Cannon regarding the restoration of the Gospel to the children of men, and its effects upon us. Inasmuch as the Gospel has been restored it has become our duty to preach it in all the world, for a witness unto all nations. The words of Jesus Christ are fulfilled, for in His day He said, speaking of the Gospel, "The kingdom of God shall be taken from among you and it shall be given unto a people bringing forth the fruits thereof." After Christ was put to death, Peter, after the Savior had been resurrected, asked Him the question: "Comest thou again to restore the kingdom to Israel?" Jesus had taught them to pray in this wise: "Our Father who art in heaven, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, etc." And they were praying for the kingdom to come, but when Jesus answered Peter regarding this question, He said: "It is not for you to know the times and the seasons." Now, today all of the sectarian world, are praying for the kingdom of God to come upon the earth. President Cannon announced yesterday that the Gospel of Jesus Christ had been restored in its fulness to the Prophet Joseph Smith; that the day had arrived which had been spoken of by the prophets, and which all the holy prophets since the world began desired to live in, even the time of the restitution of all things. Inasmuch as the Gospel had been restored in these last days, we have also received the same injunction that was received in former days, for Jesus said unto them: "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature." We have received the same commandment in our day. Jesus said: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned." It was only a short time ago that an eminent evangelist announced from this stand that ordinances

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were unnecessary such as baptism, etc., for salvation. But God the Eternal Father has given the same injunction in this our day as He gave in the days of Christ and His Apostles, and when we go forth, we say unto them: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned." These are the words which we speak unto the children of men. Jesus spake further and He said: "In my name they shall speak with new tongues: they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover; if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them, etc." We promise the people these, same blessings today. There are about thirty of us out in the Colorado mission today. We are at present branching out into New Mexico, the northern part of Arizona, and in Wyoming a little. The Lord has blessed us, and He has prospered our labors. We have an excellent lot of young men out there preaching the Gospel. We preach in the old-fashioned way, without purse or scrip; and they feed us, and they clothe us, and they give us money, and we are blessed of the Lord. And those Elders whose parents can not afford to send them money are the best missionaries we have in the field. It is an injury to keep sending your sons money, because they begin to depend upon the money instead of the Lord. In olden times the Gospel was preached according to this counsel: Jesus says, "He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth Him that sent me, and he that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward, and he that giveth drink, even as much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones of mine, shall in no wise lose his reward." These were the qualifications of the servants of God in the days of Jesus, and today we possess the same qualifications, and we receive the same instructions. Jesus says, "Freely ye have received, freely give," or in other words the Gospel cost you nothing, do not charge other people anything for it. This peculiar means of preaching the Gospel is the test Christ is going to make of the children of men whether they receive the truth or not, for He said - - you will find it in the 25th chapter of Matthew-"When I come in all my glory and all my holy angels with me and I sit upon my throne of glory, I will separate the goats from the sheep; I will set the sheep on my right hand and the goats on my left hand; and to the goats upon my left hand, I will say: I was sick and in prison and ye visited me not; I was naked and ye clothed me not; I was hungry and ye fed me not. And they will say: when wast thou an hungered and thirsty, or naked, or in prison, and we came not unto ye? I will say inasmuch as ye did it unto even one of these my brethren, ye did it also to me. And to those upon my right hand I will say, that inasmuch as ye have ministered unto one of these of my brethren, ye have ministered unto me. Enter thou into the place prepared for thee before the foundations of the world." I say this is the way Christ is going to Judge the world, for He gave a special commandment that when you should go into a house or a city you should enquire who is worthy to receive you, and if they do so, let your peace rest upon that household and say unto them, "the kingdom of God is nigh unto you; but if they reject you shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them, for it shall be more tolerable in the day of Judgment for the city of Sodom or Gomorrah than for that city or household that rejecteth you." This is the course we pursue in preaching the everlasting Gospel and the Lord has blessed the labors of the young men and has led them to the honest in heart. Some 260 or

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270 have been baptized, and we have organized branches of the Church in Denver, in Colorado Springs, Pueblo, near Durango, and we have members of the Church in Grand Valley, and a number of other places. Our brethren are laboring diligently, and they are being received kindly by the people of Colorado. The people there are similar to those here. They have had the courage and fortitude to get out of the crowded cities of the East and come West, and wherever their lot is cast they are tilling the soil, raising cattle, horses and sheep, and going down into the bowels of the earth and mining, and they are a prosperous and big-hearted people. We went there a little less than two and a half years ago, when we were without a friend, and we have been blessed and prospered, and the Lord has verified His promises in our behalf. He says, "I will send mine angels before your face to prepare the way before you, and I will be upon your right hand and upon your left hand and bear you up." Has this been verified? Yes. He says further, "When you lay hands upon the children of men, I will cause that the Holy Ghost shall descend upon them." Has this been verified? It has. And, also, the blessings of the Gospel which is not in the power of man to confer upon the children of men, because every good and perfect gift comes from God. We have enjoyed the gift of tongues; we have enjoyed the gift of prophecy; and we have enjoyed the gift of interpretation of tongues; and we have enjoyed that knowledge promised by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, when He says, "He that doeth the will of my Father shall know of the doctrine whether I speak of God or whether I speak of myself," Has God verified this unto the children of men? He has. And there are those under the sound of my voice on whom these young Elders, of whom I have been speaking, have laid their hands upon, and they received the Holy Ghost, and they could testify that what I say is true. This is the foundation of the kingdom of God-the testimony of Jesus Christ. It is the same today as it was in the days of the ancient Apostles. The Savior thought He would find out whether Peter had a testimony or not, and He said, "Peter, whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?" Peter said, "Some say that thou art Jonas, others Elias, others one of the old prophets raised from the dead." But, said the Savior, "whom sayest thou that I am?" He wanted to know what Peter thought of this. Peter answered, being filled with the Holy Ghost: "Thou art Christ the Son of the living God." And Jesus blessed him, and said, "Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven, and upon this rock will I build my church (the rock of revelation) and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Is this correct? It is correct. This is why the persecution of the Latter-day Saints only increases their numbers. At present we have a considerable agitation against this people regarding political matters. I have noticed, as president of the Colorado mission, that according to the reports from our Elders our meetings have double the number of attendants that they had before this agitation, and they sell double the amount of Church literature that they did before. And I wish to tell the Latter-day Saints present that it is not only the converts of this people that are our friends. When we went into Colorado we were entire strangers, but after we began to lift up our voices, we found many friends. Many are friendly that do not care, for special reasons, to have it announced. I have had conferred upon me all manner of favors and courtesies by friends that have been raised up of God; the people are friendly to us -- those who see what has been done by the people who inhabit these rocky mountains from Mexico

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to Canada, and who have made a sterile desert to blossom as the rose. Today I could take a buggy in the northern or western part of the State of Colorado and travel from one end to the other and stop every night with a friend of the Latter-day Saints. While we have probably 260 converts, we have thousands and thousands of friends raised up by the Lord. My testimony to you is that there is not one man out of a hundred, when he hears this Gospel preached in its purity, but what says in his heart, "that is true," but he has not the moral stamina to embrace it; but he has the courage to provide for our wants, and they do it freely. I rejoice in this labor In connection with my young brethren. I can do but little. One man can do but little in this great world of ours, it is so large. Our labors are confined to a very narrow compass, but nevertheless we can all do something. I can say, in connection with my brethren, that the Lord has blessed us in our labors. I have been blessed and have felt free in my spirit, that is, as free as it is possible for a man to be who is laboring under a burden of debt as I am and away from home principally and with no opportunities to satisfy my creditors. But having been called by the servants of God to go and preach the Gospel, I go forth and do the best I can, knowing that God will overrule all things for my good in so doing. In the various nations of the earth the Lord is blessing the brethren; He is verifying His promises to the children of men. I know that this is the work of God; I know that the Lord has again established His work in the day and age in which you and I live, and I know that every man that will humble himself and go down into the waters of baptism with a desire to serve God and keep His commandments, forsaking all his sins, that he will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost when the hands of the servants of God are laid upon him; he will know that God lives and that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, as you and I know it, because we have been founded upon the rock of revelation. We have received the spirit which takes of the things of the Father and reveals them unto the children of men, and we have a perfect knowledge that God lives. That is what Inspires this people through all the troubles and vicissitudes of life which they have had to endure since the year 1830. That is why we feel that we "are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation unto all those who believe and obey it, for therein Is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. As it is written, "the just shall live by faith." We live in a day of revelation; we live In a day when no man need be in the dark; we live in a day when no man, if he be humble and faithful, need say "know ye the Lord, for all shall know Him." All can have a testimony of these things, as God is no respecter of persons. I feel to rejoice in the large attendance at this grand conference. I know that our first aim and object should be, the kingdom of God or nothing. I believe it is the desire of this

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people as a rule, that this kingdom shall roll forth until it shall cover the whole earth. There was a great and mighty prophet that lived in olden times by the name of Daniel, who prophesied that the Lord would set up a kingdom that would never be destroyed or given into the hands of another people. It was like unto a little stone cut out of the mountain without hands, and it would roll forth until it should cover the whole earth. Is this little stone rolling forth? Yes. Will this be its destiny? It will. Will you and I endure with it? That depends upon whether we keep the commandments of God or not, and whether we keep our garments pure and unspotted from the sins of this wicked and adulterous generation in which we live. Malachi says, "Behold the Lord, whom ye seek shall suddenly come to His Temple; but who may abide the day of His coming, and who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap?" Who will stand when He appeareth? It will be those who have their lamps filled with oil -- the oil of the Holy Ghost. Those who have this Spirit and are walking in the ways of rectitude and are obedient to the commandments of God will be prepared for the coming of Jesus Christ, for He will come to purify the sons of Levi as gold, seven times purified in the fire. Are we prepared for this test? We may be if we will improve a little day by day. I know as far as I am concerned there is great room for improvement, and I hope that you can see that there is some room for improvement with you. I know that God loves those that are humble and contrite in their spirit. I know that God loves those who work for the redemption of mankind. I know God loves, and is pleased with, His children whose greatest desire is to build up His kingdom here on the earth -- who are energetic, and he blesses them with His Spirit. We hear remarks sometimes by some of our cold-blooded people. They will say, "He is enthusiastic." There never was a man who spoke by the power of the Holy Ghost but what he was enthusiastic. The blacksmith never made a weld until the white sparks began to fly. I know that the children of men never were converted until they saw that the power of God rested with His servants, and the Spirit of God went down into their hearts like fire. John said, "I baptize you with water, but there is one coming after me who will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost." Has that fire been given unto this people? It has. How were year bosoms swelled with joy, when you heard the sound of the everlasting Gospel! It has the same effect wherever the elders of Israel go, because they know they are servants of God. "My sheep hear my voice," but the stranger will not because he does not know His voice. When a servant of God enters a house and says by the authority of the Priesthood, "peace be unto this house," does peace rest upon it? Yes. I heard a woman testify that Brother Franklin D. Richards entered her house in Illinois and said in a humble, gentle spirit, "peace be unto this house," and the moment he spake those words the spirit of God came upon her and went through her whole system from the crown of her head to the soles of her feet, and such peace and such joy she never had experienced. This is what was spoken of by Christ: "Peace on earth, good will to man." It was the spirit of God that bore testimony to that woman that Brother Richards was a servant of God. It is the spirit of God that converts the people. There never was a man that converted another man to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is impossible; it is the spirit of God that converts men. Every conversion that has ever been made in the Church of Christ has been made by God, otherwise they will not endure. That which has not been sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise will not be enduring, but will pass away, I rejoice in preaching the

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everlasting Gospel; and I rejoice in being with you here in the land of Zion. I can see that Zion is prospering, and growing, and that the blessings of God are upon her from the north to the south, and from the east to the west; and I hope she shall continue to grow and spread until all shall be accomplished that God desires we shall accomplish; that the blessings of God will rest upon her sons and upon her daughters; that they may build upon that sure foundation of truth, that the towers of Zion may rise and shine until she becomes the glory of the whole earth. God is directing this work, and is directing His servants. I know that His servants are inspired by the gifts and powers of God to counsel this people in the ways of truth and righteousness; and He will inspire every man according to his station and circumstances in life if he will yield obedience to His commandments. May God bless you in all of your affairs; may He temper the elements for your good, that Zion may grow and become the pride of the whole earth, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

ELDER HEBER J. GRANT

Nothing can be attempted against the work of God that will not advance it -- Futility of seeking to convert apostates -- A prophesy fulfilled -- The leaven of the Gospel in the world. It is a source of great pleasure to me to meet once more with the Latter-day Saints in a general conference of the Church. I have listened with very much interest and pleasure to the remarks that have been made by those who have spoken thus far in our meetings. In standing before you this morning to bear witness of the goodness of the Lord to His people and to me as an individual, I desire most earnestly and humbly that what I may say may be for our mutual benefit; that it may strengthen us in our desires to serve God and keep His commandments. If I know my own heart, I believe it is set upon the advancement of the Church and Kingdom of God. I know that there is nothing on the earth that I rejoice over so much as I do in the fact that I am associated with the servants and handmaidens of God in the Church of Jesus Christ; and I do not believe that there ever is a day that passes over my head that I do not thank God for the restoration again of the plan of life and salvation, and that I have been made a partaker of the same. I supplicate Him earnestly that my mind may never become darkened, that I may never depart from the truth; that I may never forget any of the covenants that I have made, but, as I grow in years and increase in understanding, that I may grow in a testimony of the Gospel and in the desire -- not only a desire but in doing it -- to labor for the onward advancement of the Kingdom of God on the earth. When I look around and see the mistakes that I have made, and those that my brethren

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make from time to time; when I realize how many of those who have been wonderfully blessed of the Lord have fallen by the wayside, it fills me with humility; it fills me with the spirit of meekness and with an earnest desire that I may ever seek to know the mind and the will of God and to keep His commandments rather than to follow out my own desires. In listening to the remarks that have been made here this morning by Brother John W. Taylor with regard to the political agitation that is being stirred up, or at least the agitation that is being stirred up because of the political affairs in Utah, and his testimony that the meetings held by the Elders are doubly as well attended as they were before this agitation; and that they are now selling double the amount of tracts to what they did before this agitation, it furnished one more testimony to the of the truth of the sayings of those who have been inspired: "that nothing can be done against the work of God but what shall redound to its advancement." I have recently had the privilege of visiting three of the conferences in the Northern States mission, and we had exactly the same experience as that related by Brother Taylor. Some of the first meetings were very poorly attended, but when it was announced that some remarks would be made at a later meeting by myself upon what is known as the Roberts' case, we had a full house and we had a chance to say a few words with regard to the Roberts' case and a great many words with regard to the restoration of the Gospel and to bear witness that Joseph Smith was a prophet of the true and living God. Never have I rejoiced more in my life, that my lot has been cast among the Latter-day Saints, that I have been born in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, than I did in my recent visit to the East, when I came in contact with members of the Reorganized church. When I visited Kirtland, Ohio, and saw there the temple, and realized the fact that at the time it was erected by the Prophet Joseph and his brother, that it was a mighty work; when I considered the ordinances that are being performed in our temples here in Utah; when I reflected that we have the Gospel in its fulness; when I thought that they have the temple but know not how to put it to any use; when I realized that they are absolutely devoid of the inspiration of God, I rejoiced that my lot had been east among the Latter-day Saints. I have often been surprised that so much of the time of our Elders has been wasted in the world in discussing with members of the Re-organized Church as to which Church was in very deed the Church of Christ. I have been astonished at this for the reason that it seems to me an utter waste of time to undertake to discuss with a man after you have knocked him down as to who holds the ground. We read that in heaven there was a rebellion and that God, our Heavenly Father, cast out one-third of the hosts of heaven with Lucifer at their head. We have no account after they were cast out that God stopped to argue the question with those that had been cast out as to who held the ground. In the Re-organized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, about one-half, if not more, of its members, are those who have been cast out of the real Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They do not begin to have one-tenth the number we have, and why should we waste our time in arguing with them as to who holds the situation, and as to which is the Church of Christ? If the prophecies of Daniel and others that have been referred to here today are true, and we know they are true, then is

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the mountain of the Lord's house to be established in the tops of the mountains? Here it is, and here it is rolling forth and will fill the whole earth. Can any of these claims be made by this shadow, so to speak, of a re-organized church? We know that Joseph prophesied that the Latter-day Saints should be driven from city to city; that they should be driven from county to county; and that they should be driven from state to state; and finally, that they should be driven out of the confines of the United States to these Rocky Mountains and become a great, a prosperous, a mighty people. We know that this has been fulfilled to the letter. The Re-organized Church can lay no claims to being persecuted and driven from city to city, from county to county, from state to state, or of being driven to the Rocky Mountains. They have not become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains. Not only did Joseph Smith proclaim that the day should come when a city, a county, and a state should be arrayed against this people called Latter-day Saints, but he said, "the time shall come when the whole United States shall be arrayed against the Mormons;" and the day did come. I remember in my childhood days when the army of the United States came against this people. Not a state militia, but the army of the United States of America. I remember very well also that the property of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was confiscated. I remember to have picked up the papers time and time again at the time the confiscation suits were going on in this state, and read in bold headlines, "The United States of America, vs the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," and I have laid down the paper and said, "thanks be to God our Heavenly Father, that the United States of America has placed the stamp of divinity upon the utterances of the Prophet Joseph Smith." Every one of these predictions of the Prophet Joseph Smith have utterly failed if there is one claim that amounts to anything in the claims of the Re- organized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, because the United States of America has never lifted its hand nor sent its army against or confiscated the property of the Re-organized Church. Never has one thing been done by the United States of America against that church. I rejoice, as I have said, that I have been born among the Latter-day Saints. I rejoice in the growth and in the advancement of the work of God here on the earth. In hearing the remarks that have been made in this Conference of the great growth of the people I was reminded of being with President Wilford Woodruff, standing in a wagon, in Idaho, some fifteen years ago next May, and talking to a half a dozen, or a dozen young people that were located there, and I was also very forcibly reminded of the remarks of that Prophet of God made them. I remember that the young people were somewhat discouraged on Sand Creek, as they looked around over land, without a tree, without a shrub except sage brush, without so much as a log cabin. Brother Woodruff said to the young people: "Be not discouraged; be not disheartened, because God's blessing is upon this land. It will only be a little time until there will be prosperous and happy settlements of the Latter-day Saints here. You feel that you have gone away from your friends; that you are almost out of the world, but it will be only a short tithe when you will have a meeting house, and a school house and all of the facilities here that you had at home before you came here. God will bless and multiply the land." What is the result today? On that spot of ground stands the town of Iona, the headquarters of one of the Stakes of Zion, with about five thousand people instead of six or

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seven young people; the words of the Prophet Wilford Woodruff have been fulfilled to the very letter. The Latter-day Saints are indeed, as the Prophet Joseph said they should be, a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains and we are simply in our infancy. We are beginning to grow and to become a mighty people, but we are as nothing to what we will be. There is no question in my mind but what the Lord is going to multiply the Latter-day Saints and bless them more abundantly in the future than He has ever done in the past, provided of course, we are humble and diligent; provided we seek for the advancement of God's kingdom, and not to do our own mind and will. We have the Gospel of Jesus Christ restored to us; we have the plan of life and salvation; we have the ordinances of the Gospel not only for the living but for the dead. We have all that is necessary, not only for our own salvation, but that we may be in very deed "Saviors upon Mount Zion," and enter into the temples of our God and save our ancestors who have died without a knowledge of the Gospel. I was particularly struck yesterday in listening to the remarks of President Cannon. He said, "Where is there a minister today that has the hardihood to stand up and preach that little babes who die are sent to hell because they were not sprinkled?" The Gospel of Jesus Christ, the leaven of the Gospel, is going through the whole lump. The whole world has partaken to a greater or less extent of the principles of the Gospel; and men dare not stand up today and advocate this doctrine of devils, so to speak, because it is a damnable doctrine to teach that little innocent babes shall be sent to hell. When we contemplate the Gospel as it is and as it has been revealed, as recorded in the seventy-sixth section of the Doctrine and Covenants, our hearts swell with joy and thanksgiving: "And this is the Gospel, the glad tidings of which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us. "That He Came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness; "That through Him all might he saved whom the Father had put into His power and made by Him. "Who glorifies the Father, and saves all the works of His hands, except those sons of perdition, who deny the Son after the Father has revealed Him; "Wherefore, he saves all except them." Certainly this is glad tidings of great joy, that every human being except those that have a knowledge of Jesus Christ and who sin against that knowledge, shall be saved; and in this revelation the wonderful testimony has been borne to us by the Prophet Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon;

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"For we saw him, even on the right hand of God, and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the only begotten of the Father -"That by him and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God." I bear witness to you, although I have not seen the Savior sitting upon the right hand of God, I know that He lives; that I know that Jesus is the Christ; that I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God; I know that the signs follow the believer; I know that hands are laid upon the sick and that the sick do recover; I know that we have the gift of tongues among the Latter-day Saints; I know that we have visions, dreams, and revelations; I know that Lorenzo Snow is a true prophet of God. I bear this witness to you and to all the world, and I pray God that as we grow in years that we may grow in the knowledge of the Gospel, and I ask it in the name of Jesus. Amen. The Temple choir sang the hymn commencing, Zion stands with hills surrounded, Zion kept by powers divine.

ELDER GEORGE TEASDALE

Value of a well spent life -- The Saints patriotic lovers of liberty. In the hymn Just sung a very sweet text is given unto me: "God is with thee." I think it has been demonstrated at this Conference, in the testimonies that have been given concerning us and concerning the establishment of the Church of Christ upon the earth in these latter days -- that God is with us, and that the prophecies are being fulfilled establishing the truth of the utterances of the prophets that have lived upon the earth in the days that are gone; and that the glorious principles of the everlasting Gospel are being preached by us in all the world for a witness; to the accomplishment. of His own glorious purposes, as has been demonstrated in the discourses that have been given during this Conference concerning the work of God in the earth, and its wonderful progress. I was very much impressed a few days ago when I had the honor of an invitation to the Temple by the Temple workers, who, loving their president, had invited him to come and spend an hour or two with them upon the anniversary of his birthday -- I was very much impressed with the value of a well-spent life. What a credit it is to a man and how God is glorified in having such sons as our president here in this lower world, surrounded by all its allurements and temptations, who of their own free will and agency take up the cross of Christ, obey His unpopular doctrine; and are willing to be looked upon as the off scouring of all flesh,

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because they love God, acknowledge the atonement of His son and desire to love Him and keep His commandments rather than anything else, no matter what the consequences may be! I can understand how God is glorified because it is by the grace of God that we are sustained. We could not do without it, and it is another evidence that God is with us. I remember coming out of the world, and I remember accepting this unpopular doctrine; I remember the contumely and scorn and contempt that I had to pass through; and I have advocated this despised doctrine and have been sustained by the grace of God, and I know that He has been with me; and in all my tribulations, afflictions, in my bereavements and heartaches, I can bear testimony that God has been with me. I know that God lives. I have learned that in my experience; He has been my counselor and my guide; He has been my director. I have sought the counsels of His will and have endeavored in my poor way to carry them out, and I can bear this testimony that God has been with me. He has sustained me in all the vicissitudes of life; and in the fulfilment of all my duties; and I also know that He is with this people; and that which we are most condemned for -- our belief in plural marriage -- is, to my mind, another evidence that we are the Israel of God. Pagan Rome prohibited plural marriage, and this action has been generally accepted and sustained by the so-called Christian nations of the earth. Now, we are told not to love the world nor the things of the world. If we love the world the love of God is not with us; but there are many other evidences that this people are the people of God, and that God has sustained them, and that He is with them. The Latter-day Saints are devoted to their country; they are devoted to the Constitution; they look upon it as a sacred record, given by inspiration; and they revere the men who were made instruments in the hands of Almighty God in framing that wonderful document; and they are true and faithful to it; and they have manifested this faith- fulness on all occasions. Whenever their country required their assistance, they have been ready to lay down their lives in defense of it and in defense of the flag, and in defense of the constitution. We are a liberty loving people, and we respect the government, and we manifest this in the course that we are taking today. We can afford to labor and wait, because we know that intelligence must rule. Mob violence and mob rule is distressing, but the rule and government of intelligence is what we all desire, for when the righteous rule the people rejoice, and when the wicked rule the people mourn. We are in favor of good government; we are in favor of intelligence. We give our children the best education that we can. Our academies and our seminaries of learning show this. The first house for public purposes that is built in any of our settlements is, as a rule, the school house. We have always demonstrated that we were in favor of education. We want doctrines, but we want likewise good education. We don't want to be taught false theories and false doctrines, but we want the truth as it is in Christ Jesus, because to know God and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent is eternal life; and we want this eternal life. That is one reason why we assemble in conference -- to learn of the ways of the Lord, that We may walk in His paths. We want to understand the conditions of salvation. I have a profound affection for the Apostle John. He says, in the first chapter of his first epistle:

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"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; "(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifest unto us;) "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. "And these things write we unto you that your joy may be full." -- (I John i, 1-4.) He thus wrote unto the saints, those who had obeyed the principles of the Gospel -the doctrine of Christ. They believed and worshipped the living and true God in the name of Jesus Christ, accepting the atonement; they had repented of their sins and of their false doctrines and theories; they had been baptized by immersion for the remission of their sins; they had received the efficacy of the precious blood of Christ which follows the water and they had received the gift of the Holy Ghost. He further says: "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all." That is what we believe. "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth."Now mark you, "But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (I John i, 5-7.) These are the conditions: "If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of His Son Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin." We believe that. We believe that it is necessary for us to walk in the light; we believe that it is necessary for us to keep the commandments of Almighty God; and we have seen that God is with those that love Him and keep His commandments. The life of our beloved President, Lorenzo Snow, was reviewed on the occasion I referred to; it was a grand record. Then I thought of President Wilford Woodruff; of President John Taylor; of President Brigham Young; of President Joseph Smith, these servants of God who have stood the brunt and burden of the day, being right in the front of the battle; and also I thought of their counselors: Heber C. Kimball, Daniel H. Wells, Willard Richards, Jedediah M. Grant, George A. Smith and others who have passed away -- men who have made the record of a well- spent life; who have done the will of God and kept His

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commandments. I thought what a glorious record this was. What have they demonstrated? They have demonstrated that they loved righteousness rather than the things of the world. Here is what the beloved disciple says on this matter: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him. "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. "And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever." (I John ii, 1517.) I say God is with us, because we do His will. If we do not the will of God, we have no promise, for the Lord has said: "When you do as I say, I am bound to fulfill, but when you do not, you have no promise." (Doctrine and Covenants). John further says: "Little children, it is the last time; and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. "But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. "I have not written unto you because you know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth." (I John ii, 18-21.) Why do we pay our tithes and offerings? To be obedient and do the will of God. That was a grand sermon that used to be preached by Bishop Edward Hunter: "Pay your tithes and offerings and be blessed," He that has lived that principle can bear testimony to the truth of what was referred to by Brother John W. Taylor: "Whose will do the will of the Father shall know of the doctrine." Well, how do we know? Because we have the living witness. We learned in our obedience that baptism by immersion for the remission of sins is necessary. God never established anything that was non-essential. Jesus Christ told Nicodemus that unless he was born again he could not see the kingdom of God, and that unless he was born of the water and of the Spirit he could in no wise enter into the kingdom of God; and when He, Jesus went unto John to be baptized of him, and John forbade him, He said, "Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." There are two principles, Christ and anti-Christ. Anti-Christ is opposed to the doctrine of Christ. Anti-Christ says the ordinances are non-essential; Christ says these ordinances are essential. He also says "not those that say Lord, Lord shall inherit the kingdom, but he that doeth the will of My Father

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which is in heaven." Again -- "He that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken to a man that built his house upon a rock, and the winds blew and the rains descended and beat upon that house, but it stood, because it was built upon a rock," "but he that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not, is like the man that built his house upon the sand, etc." The difference between the obedient and disobedient. My beloved brethren and sisters, I bear testimony that God is with us; that we are the Church of Christ, representing the Church of the Lamb upon the earth; and we believe these everlasting principles; we appreciate them; and by reference to the Scriptures we can show that it is no new doctrine; that as it was in the beginning, is now and ever will be. These doctrines and principles of everlasting life are eternal. Another impression that was made upon my mind when thinking of the glory of a well- spent life: I thought that these brethren, these representative men, were kind to themselves; I thought they had chosen the better part; they had taken up the cross of Christ; and they had advocated the principles of Almighty God and His righteousness down to the very last, enjoining upon their children, and upon their children's children to be true and faithful to the everlasting principles of the Gospel, that they may Inherit that rest that was promised unto those that would love God and keep His commandments. What is meant by that rest? It means a fulness of everything; to enjoy a fulness of love, a fulness of light, a fulness of intelligence, a fulness of power; to sit down with Christ upon His throne, as He has overcome and sits upon the throne of the Father -- the promise that was given unto the Israel of God -- the promise that was given to the sons of the Most High. Do we understand these principles? Do we understand the value of a well-spent life? Do we understand the glory of loving God and keeping His commandments, and of keeping ourselves clean and unspotted from the world? This is what we want to understand. We want to magnify the Priesthood God has given us and the Lord has told us concerning the magnifying of the Priesthood, that we can rightly have some idea as to what we can attain to, because the Lord has been very kind unto us In giving unto us the principles of the everlasting Gospel, and has taught us the value of the Priesthood. He requires an intelligent obedience. Let me refer you to the Doctrine and Covenants, page 290: "And this greater Priesthood (the Melchisedek) administereth the Gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God; "Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest; "And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the Priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest to man in the flesh; "For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.

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"Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God. "But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence, therefore, the Lord In his wrath (for his anger was kindled against them) swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory." (Sec. 86, v. 19-24.) Again, "For whoso is faithful to the obtaining of these two Priesthoods of which I have spoken, (the Aaronic and Melchisedek) and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies; "They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron, and the seed of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God; "And also they who receive this priesthood receiveth me, saith the Lord; "For he that receiveth my servants receiveth me; "And he that receiveth me receiveth my Father; "And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father's kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him; "And this is according to the oath and covenant which belongeth to the Priesthood. "Therefore, all those who receive the priesthood receive this oath and covenant of my Father, which he can not break, neither can it be moved; "But whoso breaketh this covenant after he hath received it, and altogether turneth therefrom, shall not have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come." (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 86, v. 33-41.) I want to bear my testimony that this Priesthood of the Son of God has been restored to the earth; and that the Church of Christ is organized upon the earth, and has never required any re-organization -- that is simply nonsense. It has always been intact. God has been with us from the beginning; from the day when He took the boy Joseph Smith up to the present time, and it is by the grace of God that we are sustained. It is by the grace of God that we grow and increase as we are growing and increasing, because God has determined to establish His righteousness upon the earth and He will do it. He is educating us. Now let me exhort you my beloved brethren and sisters to serve God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. We can not make any excuse for rejecting the ordinances of the house of God, and we can not make any excuse for rejecting the love of

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God. We represent Christ by accepting His doctrine, When we are in favor of the doctrine of Christ we manifest Our faith by our works, and consequently are saved by grace and are justified by faith, because we manifest our faith by our works. There is the key. It is all nonsense that ordinances are non-essential. They are essential and have to be administered by the proper authority in order that we may obtain redemption from death anal from hell and from the grave, and in order that we may not die in our sins, for if we do reject the ordinances of the house of God we will die in our sins. If we want to be redeemed, we have to accept and obey the message of Almighty God. We have done so, and it has brought us out of the darkness which covers the earth. The Gospel message is extending upon our right hand and upon our left, and God is gathering His people, His Israel, as He predicted He would do. I pray God our eternal Father that we may have grace to overcome temptation, obey His commandments and In the end be saved in His kingdom through Jesus Christ. Amen. The choir and congregation sang: God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform. Benediction by Elder B. H. Roberts.

SECOND DAY AFTERNOON MEETING

The choir and congregation sang the hymn commencing: How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord, Is laid for your faith in His excellent word. What more can He say than to you He hath said, You who unto Jesus for refuge have fled. Prayer by Elder Angus M. Cannon. The hymn which begins, For the strength of the hills we bless Thee, Our God, our Father's God, was sung by the choir.

ELDER JOHN HENRY SMITH

The Saints successful colonizers -- Should seek to obtain the most perfect products from the soil -- Suitable literature should be utilized.

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I am happy in the opportunity of meeting with you again in general conference. I have had great pleasure in listening to the remarks that have been made by the brethren who have spoken to us thus far in the conference; and if I can have your faith and prayers and the Spirit that has actuated their utterances, I desire to speak upon several topics, in brief, that are in my judgment of material interest to the Latter-day Saints. We have not obtained our present position in the world altogether upon the ground of the spiritual instruction embraced in the Gospel. The practical application of the faith we have espoused has probably brought us a very fair share of the respect and esteem In which we are held by many thinking people of the world who have seen the results that have come from the degree of unity we have exhibited in the practical concerns of life. Our reputation in connection with the development of the land that we have occupied has gone out to the world; and wherever men may be found who are desirous of establishing colonies and seeking to develop the sections of country which they occupy, they are anxious to secure men who are conversant with the methods that have been adopted in the development of those sections of country that the Latter-day Saints occupy today. We have been the pioneers in the establishment of the village system. We have been pioneers in the distributing of water in the forms largely utilized at the present time in this western country. While the Indians and the Catholic fathers who preceded us in various sections of this western land had achieved some success in utilizing the water by irrigation, It remained for the Utah pioneers, and they that followed them in the planting of the standard in this part of the world, to establish and apply properly and successfully the water, that has made the land productive and brought such wonderful results. This has brought to us the notice of the world. While many practical men turn away from most of the doctrinal views we present, the results which have been manifest in the union of action exhibited in the development of the resources of our section of the country have caused them to stop and examine, and they have been led to look for the causes which have produced these results. I presume, if an examination were made today among men who have been in some measure conversant with the efforts made and the results that have come therefrom, it would be found that many men have been led to an examination and final acceptance of our faith from its practical results as developed in the comforts and blessings attendant upon the great mass of the people. The changing of men from the workshop and the smithy in foreign lands or in different parts of our own land, to the conditions that arise from the possession of the soil, the owning of a house and of the implements of husbandry, and utilizing the industry and talents possessed by them, has brought to the people a degree of independence that is not so fully marked among any other people with whom I have been conversant. I am extremely anxious in this connection that there shall be no slackening in this material development -- in the extension of our farms, our gardens, and our orchards, and in the ability to utilize the products of those farms, gardens and orchards in the interest of ourselves, by being able to place them upon the markets of the world in such form as will bring to us the best prices and maintain our reputation for judgment, prudence and industry. I am fearful that a tendency in the direction of slackening in that pride that should characterize

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every man and woman who has become conversant with the spirit of the Gospel is showing itself, in some instances, in degrees of laxity. The orchards are not receiving that attention, the gardens that care, and the farms that manifest industry that characterized our earlier efforts, when but limited areas of ground were being utilized and the cultivation was intense in order that it might produce the best possible results and meet the necessities of those who occupied the same. In order that we may continue in our growth and development, and be enabled to have means necessary for the adornment and beautifying of our homes and the enlargement of the spheres in which we are acting, I trust that there shall be no slackening in connection with these matters. Our farmers in the various sections of the country should employ their talents in the direction of forming an organization suitable to themselves, looking to the proper arrangement of the character of the products that shall be planted, and strive in every way to improve these products and put them upon the market in such a condition that wherever they are there will be a demand for them that those who go to the markets will ask for Utah peaches, Utah apples, Utah vegetables, and buy them in preference to all others, because they are put up in the proper form and are the best on the market. It seems to me that in this matter a people organized as we are, with our ability to reach every home, could so act in unison with each other upon these questions that thousands of dollars that now annually go to waste within our border, because the fruit and the vegetables are not properly cared for, might be utilized in bringing to the homes of the people the necessary comforts and adornment and providing that practical and proper education which shall make us not alone the required help of our neighbors and friends who want men possessing the talent to develop their farms, establish their villages and increase the interests of the people, but which shall also make us better in these respects in the future than in the past. I ask you, my brothers and my sisters, to look wisely and prudently into these propositions. There must be an extension of opportunities presented to the young men and maidens of our State in the direction of the establishment of homes. We are extending our borders in some degree. A few are planting themselves in Mexico a few in Canada, a few northward in Idaho, some in Montana, in New Mexico, in Arizona and in Colorado, and are working out these problems looking to the material uplifting and independence of the people of God. While this is being done, we desire that each step in the direction of our development shall exhibit the fact that we have a purpose and object in view -- not alone the spiritual teaching of the people, but their physical, mental and moral development and their financial worth. And if we can establish within them a determination to do and to be something in the line of their moral and financial development, they will begin to drink in of the spirit of that work that led the founders of this organization to move westward in the hope of bringing out the powers, developing the resources and preparing and qualifying the men who are to become conversant with this work for the great mission of the regeneration of the world. It leads us to the conquering of the elements around us, that we may conquer the world; not upon the basis of the exercise of military dominion, but upon the basis of a developed faith and an understanding of the material nature of the work of God. The Lord has planted within our bodies a spirit that is in touch with His Spirit, and He purposes to bring out every power of mind and body, and to implant in the soul the highest possible

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understanding of the requirements and obligations that can attach to a mortal. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, in the development of this work that our Father has set us to do, no greater part can be given to men than providing for the needs of their fellows, opening doorways to their growth, putting them in a condition of independence upon a farm, and bringing out the power to cultivate and manage far themselves, that they in turn may employ their talents in the interest of others who perchance may not be so fully developed and equipped for the duties and responsibilities of life. Let us show to the world that, having laid the foundation of the system of development in this region of the country, where irrigation is a necessity, we can utilize it to the uttermost for our own well-being and for the well-being of our fellow men. In the extension of our settlements, in their growth and expansion, let us exhibit that care, that wisdom, that intelligence and that industry that shall entitle us to such expressions as I have heard on railroad trains from gentlemen who have said, "I see that we are approaching a 'Mormon' settlement, There is an evidence of joint action and union. The canals are larger; while the farms are small they are widely utilized." I trust that inasmuch as we are compelled in the older sections of our country to have small farms, there will be a union of action in the planting of vegetables and grains, fruits and flowers, so that whatever we may have to put upon the market there will be in it the evidence of talent, of wisdom and of industry manifested, which will bring to us the best possible recruits. I have another subject in my mind upon which I wish to speak. At the present time it is claimed that we have in the world in the neighborhood of 1800 missionaries. I myself believe there are ten millions of people who are believers in this work upon which we have entered. All of them, it may be true, have not come within the fold; but I believe there are ten millions of people who believe in the doctrines and mission of Joseph Smith, and in that priesthood and authority given of God in this dispensation. While many of them stand aloof, in their hearts they are praying for its development and advancement and in a quiet way lending their influence for the furtherance of the purposes of God. Believing that this condition exists to quite a degree in all parts of the world where the Elders have made their way, and in some sections possibly where they have not made their way, I desire to bring before this congregation a thought in connection with the utilization of the printed word. We see ourselves at the present time engaged in producing many newspapers and magazines, whose sympathies are with the work, though they may be engaged in some specific line. As I note the establishment of newspapers and magazines in our midst, I wonder from time to time how far as Saints we are using this agency in the interest of the development of God's work. How many now under the sound of my voice, after they have looked through their paper or their magazine, wrap it up and mail it to father, or mother, to brother or sister to old-time friend and acquaintance, in Scandinavia, in Germany, in Austria, France, in England, in Scotland, in Wales, or in the States of this Union? How many, after having seen an item that would impress their kindred or their friends in regard to the conditions existing here, have taken the trouble to further the interest of the

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work of God by sending the paper containing this item where it will do good? I ask you, my brothers and sisters, to examine the matter in this light of wisdom. Look into your own homes; study the character of the magazines that are upon your own tables, which your own children are a little loth to read perchance, and which you do not devote very much time to; note their contents, and send them in these different directions, as agencies, tending to bring before the minds of the people of the world the conditions that surround you, and that you live in a civilized community. There are many people that question there being in this western country a people who have the arts of civilization. They regard us in a measure as savages, and are therefore inclined to close their minds against us and say harsh things relative to us. Occasionally there are those not of our society who write articles in our defense, and who are anxious to spread among the people with whom they have been acquainted some understanding of the character of the people among whom they at present reside. One man who has done something in this respect is Mr. Charles Ellis. He has written pamphlets in the interest of our people, exhibiting their characteristics, and seeking to bring before the minds of people outside of our own. Circle the fact that while Mormonism has been an agency in the dissemination of the Christian doctrines as Christ Himself presented them to the world, it has also been an agency for the industrial advancement and uplifting of the men and women who have accepted of its principles and who have gathered within its charmed circle. Where in the wide universe can there be found a body of ministers -- as the world would be pleased to style us -- that have laid the foundation of the material well-being of a people as has been done by Brigham Young and the founders of this work upon this the backbone off the American continent? My brothers and my sisters, I plead with you to utilize the printed word as it comes from the pens of our brethren, and the printed word of strangers who may come in our midst and become impressed at least with our honesty and our devotion to God, whether they can accept the views we may entertain in regard to God and His Son Jesus Christ or not, so that a knowledge of the truth as it is may be disseminated abroad in this way as well as by the preaching of the word. I feel to bear my witness, in connection with my brethren, to truths of that Gospel which we have embraced. God the Father came. He introduced His Son, in this dispensation. There is no mistake in regard to this matter. His voice, was heard, His person was seen. The keys of the priesthood of eternity were turned. Man was instructed to go forth and preach and teach, to point the way of temporal life as well as the way of spiritual life, and make the sons and daughters of God acquainted with the means and methods by which they could indeed be saved here as well as hereafter. Therefore, let us fulfil our mission, scatter the printed word, point the way and help the millions outside whose hearts have been touched in some degree by this work, and who are watching and waiting in anticipation of its development, though lacking the moral force to put on the armor of eternal truth and proclaim it in force and power unto the world. Let us awaken these from their lethargy,

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arouse them from their sleepiness, and plant within their hearts the truth that God's work has come, and that all should accept and love it because it teaches them the way of spiritual as well as temporal life. May God bless and prosper the good work; may its truth be written upon our hearts and souls; may we never fail to do our part in connection with its advancement, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen. The Temple choir sang the selection, Shall we meet beyond the river?

ELDER F. M. LYMAN
Comprehensiveness of the plan of Salvation -- Faith the result of evidence -- What we enjoy here a foretaste of that which is to come -- Forgiveness associated with repentance -Testimony of Jesus and of the ancient and modern prophets. I trust, my brethren and sisters, that you will give me the same support of your faith and prayers that you have my brethren who have spoken, that the Spirit of the Lord may assist me as they have been assisted. Many thoughts pass before the mind when we hear our brethren speak upon the principles of life and salvation. We realize that we are connected with a very important work -- as important, no doubt, as any work that has ever been established upon this earth. The fact that it has been introduced by our heavenly Father and is His work, for the salvation of the children of men, certainly should be evidence enough to make it of sufficient importance for us to give to it our undivided attention. The authority of the Lord has been revealed in our day, and it is possessed by a host of men. We are under obligation to bear testimony to the doctrines that are revealed for the salvation of the world, that light rosy come into the hearts of the people; for this world lieth in darkness, in a fallen state. We are dependent upon the assistance of our heavenly Father for our redemption, and it is important that we should be redeemed in this life. The design of our Father is that His children should be relieved from the effects of the fall, be redeemed from the power of sin and Satan, and be brought back into fellowship with Him. The plan that He has offered us for this purpose commends itself to every honest, unprejudiced soul, because it is a reasonable plan, founded on truth. It has saved people before, it is saving people now, and will save people so long as there are people to be saved, and there always will be people to be saved. When we think of this work as it has been spoken of in this conference, and what it has accomplished in sixty- nine years, we cannot help but be impressed with it. Though there be many people who have never heard of us, yet this work has stirred the world. There is not a nation perhaps but what has been more or less agitated in regard to this people and our doctrines; and there are many people, as suggested by Elder

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John Henry Smith, that believe the doctrine but have not the courage to embrace it, because it is so unpopular and so trying to men's souls. The Gospel is suited to all the conditions of mankind. It will meet every requirement of man, and it will satisfy every rational ambition and every righteous desire of the human heart. It Is perfect in every respect. It is broad enough and deep enough for the rich and for the poor, for the intelligent and for the ignorant. It will bring to every person exactly what is necessary for his salvation. If men need to be humbled, it will school them. If they need to be exalted, it will lift them up. If they have need to he reformed, it will reform them. In fact, as I have said, it will meet all the requirements of human nature. The first principle of the Gospel is faith in God. How could we have such faith as is established among this people, if it were not for evidence? Men may believe the doctrines that are taught them, but it takes reliable evidence to establish faith in the hearts of the children of men; for we are reasonable beings, the offspring of reasonable parents, and we need to be convinced that the doctrines are what they profess to be. We need not only to believe in God, but we need to have faith in Him. When faith springs up in the heart, its germs are living germs, and It develops and increases as the soul remains in proper condition for its growth and development; and as it increases in our hearts, so we labor, so we are humble, so we are faithful and devoted to the Lord. We desire to become more acquainted with God, and with the principles that have made Him and His Son so great, and that have made so many of His posterity great men and women. We desire to go back into His presence. The Gospel is taught for this purpose, and it is having its influence over us. We are listening to the counsels of the Holy Spirit. True, we have at our head a prophet, seer and revelator. We have quite a number of them. Then in every home, in every ward, in every stake, in every quorum, in every mission, and in every department of this work there are men with the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, the testimony of the Lord Jesus; and that testimony directs these men according to the degree in which they are devoted to the service of God and lose their own selfishness. So that there is a stream of revelation and inspiration coming to the Church, not only through the prophet, seer and revelator who stands at our head and gives the word of the Lord for the whole Church, but it comes to every man and woman. It has borne record to your hearts during this conference, as it has done in all conferences when we have come together with a desire to know the will of God. The testimony of the Holy Ghost in our hearts has brought conviction and satisfaction to our souls, and we have had a taste of inspiration and a measure of understanding in regard to the Gospel of life and salvation. We have been saved a little; and as we have learned and enjoyed a little in this life, so shall we in the world to come enjoy much. As in this life we have been faithful over a few things, in the world to come we shall be made rulers over many things. As we have a foretaste of heaven in this life, we shall have a fulness of joy and happiness in the world to come. And it may be increased very materially in this life. We Have no need to be satisfied with the little we have already received; for the windows of heaven are open, and inspiration comes to us Just as freely and as liberally as our hearts are open to receive it. Heaven may be upon this earth, and no doubt it will be. We are having a little foretaste of these things now.

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We know what is good, what is sweet, what is delicious, what is precious, and what is valuable to us in this life, and what is suited to our needs and desires; and we shall want a fulness of these things hereafter. But if we are wise we shall come as near to obtaining a fulness in this life as we can. We will seek the riches of eternity here. We can take the riches of eternal life with us when we leave this sphere, but we cannot take the riches of this world. Yet the riches of this world are convenient and necessary, and we cannot very well get along without them. But the riches of eternal life are lasting and permanent. They come from the good we accomplish, the righteousness we bring to pass, the purity to which we attain, the cleansing and purifying of our own hearts, that we may come as near being perfect in this life as our Father and His Son Jesus Christ are perfect. Why shall we not do right? What commandments of the Lord are there that we cannot observe? What requirements sine there in this Church that we cannot comply with? The Lord wants us to have faith in Him. Now, that is possible. He has the faith to bestow. He is the giver of it. Man cannot impart it. It is the gift of God -- a gift that He is anxious to bestow upon all His children. Repentance is also a gift from the Lord, as precious as faith. We cannot be saved by faith alone. We must repent. Repentance is necessary to salvation. Elder M. W. Merrill suggested that the first step to get out of debt was to quit going in debt; so I say that the very first step to repentance is to quit sinning and to become manly, honorable and upright. There is no forgiveness of sin without repentance. Forgiveness does not come by faith alone, nor by promising that we will do better some time. It is necessary that we should cease sinning and begin to do well. Where we were liars, we must tell the truth; where we were unrighteous and impure, we must be pure and upright. Then we can obtain the blessing of forgiveness. Is there a man in the world that can say that that is unreasonsable? Is it reasonable that men should be forgiven of their sins if they do not cease sinning? Certainly not. Men must cease to sin, and turn to the Lord; for there is no one else can forgive. We are not able to forgive each other's sins. We cannot atone for our own sins. That is why it was necessary that the Son of God should come from heaven, where He had such joy and glory with the Father, into this world and offer an atonement for mankind. He offered His life and suffered as a God only could suffer, in order that men might be relieved of their sins. Man could not do that; it was the work of a God. And it is the work of God to give you and me faith and repentance. These are principles that come from the upper world, not from beneath. We must therefore look above for them, and the Lord will give them to us, but on proper principles. Now, if we can have faith in the Lord, if we can repent and have our sins blotted out, is it not profitable to us to sacrifice our tastes, our appetites, our carnal desires, and those principles that only yield a temporary satisfaction, that we may obtain these 'precious blessings? Men are not curtailed in their joy and happiness, but are rather increased therein, by the service of the Lord. We ought not,' however, to be niggardly, but we should be generous and great-hearted in regard to these matters, and seek to vie with each other in seeing which can accomplish the most for the salvation of the children of men. We should see which can be the most humble, the most faithful and devoted to the Lord, in order that we may stand in the fellowship and favor of God. For there is no real Joy and happiness, no salvation, except that which comes from the Father, in answer to the atonement of His Son

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and the shedding of His precious blood. How grateful and thankful we ought to be for this, and that this work, revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith, has brought that knowledge to the world! I would testify of this with my brethren. The Presidency are all here, the Apostles are all here, the presiding quorum of Seventies are all here, the presiding Bishopric are here, the presiding patriarch is here. I do not know when we have had so complete and perfect a representation of the power and authority of God at our conference. And the people are well represented from all over the country. Now, these men are true men, whose hearts and souls are in the work of the Lord, and have been for many years. President Snow, President Richards, President Cannon and President Smith are men who were intimately acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith, and with Hyrum Smith, and with the early Apostles and Elders of the Church. They knew their private lives and their public labors, and that God was with them. Many of us have not known them so intimately, not being old enough; but the Lord has revealed to us that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and we know it Just as President Snow or these other brethren who have had the privilege of shaking hands with the Prophet. Jesus was known only by those who received that knowledge from the Father. Thousands and tens of thousands of men saw the Prophet Joseph who never once intimated that they thought or believed that he was a prophet of God. Thousands knew the Son of God personally, but they never believed He was the Son of God, he cause the Father did not bear record to them. But to us He has borne record that Joseph was a prophet of the living God. He has borne record to us that Jesus is His Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world. He committed this testimony and knowledge to this people. He has given us a knowledge also concerning President Brigham Young, that great and grand man who led Israel in those dark and dismal days after the death of the Prophet Joseph, out of bondage unto this land of liberty, and established us here. What wonders he did for us! He was a man among men -- the very proper man to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet Joseph. We do not know him as we will yet know him. Then President John Taylor, the personification of devotion, manliness and courage! No more honorable and upright man than John Taylor even lived. And President Wilford Woodruff, the very personification of humility and meekness, of conscientiousness and honesty, a man of God! And President Lorenzo Snow, the equal of any of them! Are we worthy, my brethren and sisters, to be associated with and led by such men? If so, then let us listen to their counsel, and uphold their hands. God will vindicate His cause in the earth. It is spreading today unobserved. The kingdom grows, and prosperity waits upon us as a people and as individuals. Let us be conscientious, honest and upright, and be indeed Latter-day Saints, teaching the Gospel by example. We have not long to live, and there is no investment like serving God, for it is all profit. Let me beg of you, Presidents, High Councilors, Bishops, and men who bear the priesthood, and all saints who have named the name of Jesus, let us walk in the footsteps of the Lord, and honor Him the remainder of our days, and thus he redeemed from the power of Satan, that old monster; for we are in his dominion and under his power more or less, and can only be redeemed by the service of the Lord. God bless you, my brethren and sisters; bless Zion and all her interests; bless our

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nation -- the nation that has given an asylum to this work and the people of God. The Lard raised it up, and He is directing and controlling it. If the people of the nation have offended in the past, they will make satisfaction; and the Lord is using and directing them, as He will direct us, for the accomplishment of His purposes. Amen.

PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH

Witnesses of the truth -- Those whose hearts are not hardened receive it -- Some believe but do not openly acknowledge -- Enemies of Zion aid her cause -- An excellent industrial institution. My brethren and sisters, so far throughout this conference I have been delighted and edified with the most excellent spirit that has prevailed. I endorse heartily all that has been said, and I exhort you to a diligent and faithful consideration of the counsels and instructions we have received. The testimonies Which have been borne by the Apostles in relation to the divine mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith and of the direction by God of all his successors down to the present, are true witnesses and verifications of God's great truth restored to the earth in these last days, which all mankind must sooner or later give ear to. These testimonies will stand as a witness before all these people assembled here, and they will extend out unto all the world; for all men unto whom these testimonies come must receive or reject them, and God will not hold them irresponsible for neglect or indifference in relation thereto. I was struck by a remark made by one of the brethren with respect to the many people who saw and heard the Prophet Joseph Smith and yet didn't believe that he was a prophet of God, or a man raised up by the Almighty to lay the foundations of this great latter-day work. It was said that the Lord had not revealed it unto them. Now, I do not dispute that statement, or call it in question; but it occurred to me that there are thousands of men who have heard the voices of the inspired servants of God, unto whom the Almighty has borne record of the truth, and yet they have not believed it. It is my opinion that the Lord bears record to the testimonies of His servants unto these who hear those testimonies, and it is left with them whether or not they will harden their hearts against the truth and not listen to it, and abide the consequences. I believe the Spirit of the Almighty God is upon most of the Elders who go out into the world to proclaim the Gospel. I believe their words are accompanied by the testimony of the Spirit of God. But all men are not open to receive the witness and the testimony of the Spirit. And the responsibility will rest with them. Yet it may be possible the Lord withholds His Spirit from some, for a wise purpose in Him, that their eyes are not opened to see and their minds not quickened to comprehend the word of truth. As a rule, however, it is my opinion that all men who are seeking after the truth and are willing to

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receive it, will also receive the witness or the Spirit which accompanies the words and testimonies of the servants of the Lord; while those whose hearts are hardened against the truth and will not receive it when it is borne record of to them, will remain ignorant and without a comprehension of the Gospel. I believe there are tens of thousands of people who have heard the truth and have been pricked in their hearts, but they are seeking every refuge they possibly can to hide themselves from their convictions of the truth. It is among this class that you will find the enemies to the cause of Zion. They are opposing the truth in order to hide themselves from it. There are men possibly within the sound of my voice -- certainly within the limits of this city -- who have read our books, who have listened to the discourses of the Elders, and who are familiar with the doctrines of the Church; but they will not acknowledge -- openly, at least -- the truth of this Gospel and the divinity of this work. Well, the responsibility rests with them. God will Judge them and deal with them in His own way and time. Many of them through their efforts to bring reproach upon the cause of Zion, are awakening the attention of people in the world to "Mormonism," and thus unwittingly advancing the cause of Zion, though they know it not. I thank God my Father that He brings good out of the evil designed against His people by their enemies. And He will continue to do this. The clouds may gather over our heads, and, as in the past, it may seem impossible for us to penetrate them; yet there can be no clouds so dark, so gloomy or so heavy, but God will roll them away in His own time and will bring good out of threatening evil. He has done it In the past, He will do it in the future; for it is His work, not the work of man. Reference was made here by one of the brethren to what is being said and done with a view to bringing reproach upon the Church, because one of its members has aspired to political honors, and has reached the goal of his aspiration by the votes of the people. They are seeking to make the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints responsible for the election of one of its members to an office in the House of Representatives of the United States Congress. Let me say to this congregation -- which will be borne out by all my brethren and by the truth -- that Brother B. H. Roberts was not (and never was) the candidate of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for Representative to Congress. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints nor any of its authorities as such ever had one thing to do with his nomination or election, there are members of the Church who belong to his political party and they voted for him, and by their votes as well as by the votes of the unbelievers he was elected. And now these miserable scoundrels that seek to blacken the character of the Church and try to bring trouble upon it, are endeavoring to make it appear that the Church is in politics, and Brother Roberts' election is due to "Church influence." This is not true. Brother Roberts was the candidate of his own party; and was elected by his party; the Church had no more to do with it than it had to do with the election of some Senator or Representative in New York, only so far, as I said before, as members of his political party voted for him. I felt that I wanted to say this much to the congregation; and I know the facts bear me out in this statement. The Church of Christ is not responsible for the actions of either of the political parties, in any sense, or form. If it were, they would stop their quarreling and contending, and the bitterness and animosity they exhibit towards one another would cease. If we had anything to do with them, we would stop their wrangling,

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and we would have peace in their ranks. The fact that they quarrel as they do is proof positive we have nothing to do with them. We have had some excellent remarks here in relation to our home industries and to the labors that are being performed by Z. C. M. I., our great cooperative institution which was established by the Latter-day Saints, and is conducted upon the soundest business principles, and is today one of the most substantial and influential institutions in this western country. It is giving employment to many people, and producing shoes and wearing apparel, thereby saving capital at home. It is an institution of the people. It was established for the benefit of the people of Utah. It should be sustained by the people. They should see that by their patronage it is made strong so that it may never waver during the hard times and the financial wreck and ruin that may come from time to time. If the people will do their duty, there will be one institution belonging to them which will always be upon a firm foundation. And we ought to increase our industries, to give employment to our people. In relation to providing labor for those who come here from foreign lands through obedience to the Gospel, I fear we are not as careful of their welfare now as we were in years past. Formerly they were assigned to the various wards as they came in, with recommendations to the Bishops and leading men to look after them, to provide them labor, and assist them in their inexperience, that they might obtain whatever was needful for their good, and eventually establish themselves in independency and prosperity by the results of their own labor. This is a very important question. It is also important to provide labor for those who have been accustomed to dwelling in large cities, who, when they come here, feel unable to make a living anywhere else but in the city. We have many of such in Salt Lake City, and it would be well for some of them at least to go into the new settlements, take up land; change their mode of living to some extent, and grow up with the community in which they make their home, and not settle down and depend upon the precarious chances of obtaining employment in the city, where so many are seeking for employment. May the Lord bless Israel; may He prosper Zion and all her people; may the way be opened before the poor and the needy, that they may, by their own industry and perseverance, obtain all that is needful for their good. One reason that we are brought so prominently before the world is because we have adhered, in some measure, to the instructions given in the revelations of God through the Prophet Joseph Smith in regard to industry. There should be no idlers in Zion. Even the poor who have to be assisted should be willing to do all in their power to earn their own living. Not one man or woman should be content to sit down and be fed, clothed or housed without any exertion on his or her part to compensate for these privileges. All men and women should feel a degree of independence of character that would stimulate them to do something for a living, and not be idle; for it is written that the idler shall not eat the bread of the laborer in Zion, and he shall not have place among us. Therefore, it is necessary that we should be industrious, that we should intelligently apply our labor to something that is productive and conducive to the welfare of the human family. God help us to do this, is my prayer. Amen.

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The choir and congregation sang, We thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet. Benediction by Elder George Reynolds. Conference adjourned till 10 a.m. on Sunday.

FIRST DAY MORNING MEETING

Sunday, April 9th, 10 a.m. The choir and congregation sang, Do what is right, let the consequence follow; Battle for freedom in spirit and might, And with stout hearts, look ye forth till tomorrow; God will protect you, do what is right. Opening prayer by Elder Rulon S. Wells. Singing by the choir: Softly beams the sacred dawning Of the great Millennial morn, And to Saints gives welcome warning That the day is hasting on.

PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. RICHARDS

Importance of instruction received -- Our Savior's Mission -- The life and immortality of men -- Advice to young men -- New and increasing duties during life -- Reference to Tithing -- Exhortation to faithfulness, with blessing. Beloved hearers, I arise with a deep sense of the impossibility of any man edifying and instructing such a congregation as this, except he be influenced by the spirit of truth. Certainly, unless he be inspired therewith, he will be unable to feed and nourish the spirits of his hearers, and to refresh and strengthen them in the way of righteousness. Therefore, I earnestly desire that assistance without which it is impossible to accomplish what is most desirable this morning.

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When we contemplate what the Lord is doing in the earth, it is marvelous beyond human comprehension. When we pass in review our personal experiences, we find all along the path of life occasions for the utmost gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His kind and faithful care in preserving us in the way of life till now. When we have seen so many turn to the right and to the left and forsake the cause of God, because of some trivial affair perhaps, it is all the more wonderful and is occasion for deeper gratitude on our part that the good hand of the Lord has assisted, steadied and sustained us until the present. We have received at this conference such a variety of instructions as has seemed calculated to extend over all the periods of human existence, even to our daily economy, the culture of our gardens, our farms and our orchards. The way of life has been dwelt upon; and if we have been careful hearers and have treasured up the things that have been said, certainly to the tractable they will prove very precious, and to those who fall to be benefited they will meet a great and irretrievable loss. Being surrounded with many cares, with the inconveniences of poverty, sometimes with pinching want, at other times with troubles brought upon ourselves by our indiscretion, we naturally get but part of the benefit which we might receive if we could preserve always that peaceful serenity and that entire composure which belong to those who are the most perfectly devoted to God and His work. Having had some little experience in the sixty years that I have been in the Church, and hearing the brethren talk as they have during this conference, it has seemed to pick up and bring to review much of what I have experienced. In large congregations, where the Gospel is preached to strangers, there is a great variety of dispositions present to listen. There are those who receive the words of the Elder and drink them in, because they seem exactly to satisfy the soul, and the whole nature yields accord and acceptance to the things that are taught. Many of us can remember when we first heard the sound of the Gospel. It came to us with a most grateful and satisfying influence, and we embraced it the first time we heard it. There are those whose hearts and consciences are right before the Lord, who are ready to receive the truth, and the Holy Spirit can move upon such and give them testimonies there and then. Others in the congregation who are mere of an agnostic disposition, and do not know whether things are true, or whether they want to believe them or not, are there for curiosity, and they cannot accept anything unless it is thoroughly proved from the scriptures. Others again, when anything is proved by the scriptures, are doubtful, skeptical, and of an unbelieving kind -- men who have delighted in sin, and their consciences have become seared as with a hot iron, so that they are not sensitive and conscious to the truth. The Spirit cannot work in them, and they are unworthy perhaps of these testimonies. There may be those even who have blood-guiltiness upon them, listening to the words of the teacher. They may be satisfied of their truth, but by their own conduct they have cut themselves off from accepting or taking in, with any sense of benefit, the glorious words of eternal truth that are being spoken to them, and they pass by them like the wind on the prairie or the barren heath, "and they do not see when good cometh."

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The Lord has told us, in one of His revelations, that from the time He gave the Gospel to the human family, so far as they heard its truths and rejected them, they came under condemnation. To reject the truths of the Gospel is a fearful condition. We, who have been led to receive and obey, have the greatest reason in the world to be thankful to Him who has given us the understanding that when we heard the voice of the Good Shepherd we received it, and have tried to follow it, notwithstanding all our staggering infirmities and weaknesses, follies and frailties, and all the allurements of the world that have been around us to draw us away. We have reason today to be exceedingly thankful to the Lord that we are still blessed of Him and preserved in His favor. The Lord; on one occasion, told Moses what His work was. Moses became inquisitive. That is the way we all do when we are brought into the confidence of those who know more than we do. It is natural for us to want to get further knowledge, if we have the spirit of intelligence, which is a little of the glory of God. We hunger and thirst for knowledge. The Savior said, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled." So we may take courage if we can only keep on and endure to the end. When Moses first enquired of Him, He turned Moses off and told him that the great things which he saw were for His honor and glory. To Him they were all numbered, He said; but to man they were not numbered. Finally, He told Moses that "His work and His glory was to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of men." From this it would appear that before the earth was created and father Adam given possession, it was understood that death might be brought into the world through sin and transgression, anal that there was a provision made for that; The trial came, the sentence of death was passed, and men began to die. Then it seemed as if the great object for which the earth had been created and man placed upon it was frustrated. The object had been for men to come and obtain tabernacles that they might acquire the knowledge, blessing and power of God in the flesh, and that he might be able to exalt and glorify these tabernacles. When death came into the world, the body and spirit were separated, and this great object seemed to be defeated. But God had provided for this The Lamb of God, "slain from before the foundation of the world," came in His appointed time to correct and restore. How often the Savior told the brethren, when they were together, that the whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. The Son of Man came not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. He came to, restore that which was lost, He said. Now, that which was lest was the tabernacle that had been consigned to the grave, and He came to bring to pass the resurrection of the body. That seemed to be the summing up of the saying that "His work and His glory was the immortality and eternal life of man" -- to restore man, after being lost, to is, mortality and eternal life. That is what we are after, that through keeping the commandments of God we may be accounted worthy to attain unto that better resurrection, even the first resurrection, to immortality and eternal life, and an abundant entrance into the kingdom of God. The Apostles seemed to understand this. One of them says that life and immortality are brought to light through the Gospel. He seemed to realize that life and immortality were out of sight,

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except as revealed and made manifest through the Gospel. Thus, the great restoration, is to be brought about. Looking on down to our own time, we see that we live in the dispensation of the fulness of times, in which the Lord has promised to gather together in one all things which are in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are upon earth. This is according to scripture, and this is what we are working at. As soon as the Gospel was first preached to the people, they felt the spirit of gathering. When the Presidency, from the Kirtland Temple, sent Elders over to the old country and instructed them not to teach gathering particularly at present, why the people got to dreaming about gathering and about Zion. It could not be kept from them. The spirit of the work was upon them. Thus the spirit of gathering comes upon the Saints wherever the Gospel is preached to them, and there arises within them an inclination to want to leave where they have become strangers, to go to people whose faith is like their own, with whom they are acquainted in the Lord and have fellowship together. In speaking concerning the people at the present time, there is one important feature among us of great concern. That is, there are so many young men and young women who are of marriageable age and who ought to be taking seriously into consideration the importance of uniting themselves together properly, and commencing to build up families and to make homes for themselves, thus becoming persons of value and worth among the Saints in the latter days. If I could speak into the ears of a host of young men, I would say to each one of them, Look around you, my young brother, find a young lady who is waiting for you to come and offer to take her to wife -- some faithful girl, who is dutiful and obedient to her parents at home, who has been taught to work and to relieve her mother, and who feels a spirit of ambition and energy to take hold of life. Do not wait till you have got enough money to make a home and to store it with all the comforts of life. You that are studying upon their point, let me cite to you a case that occurred Just over the river here a little while ago. A couple had got some land, built a house, had it nicely furnished, cupboards well stocked, a fine cow in the stable, and everything prepared for housekeeping. They went away to get married, and while they were away their home was broken into and devastated, so that when they got back they had no home to go to. I want to tell you, if you have no home, ask the Lord to bless you and open up your way to make one. Go out and get a piece of land somewhere. There is plenty of land to be got in different places around. Young men, take this matter into your hearts, and consider how you will feel when you are 70 or 80 years of age, if you are blessed to live that long -and you would feel terrible if you had a witness that you would not. Think how you want to be found when you are that age. You want to see, your children and your grandchildren come around you, to bless and comfort you, to eat and drink at your table, and to make you feel that you have a generation planted in the earth. Now, it is going to take some years to do this; but if you will get a good, honest-hearted girl, unite with her and plight your troth at the altar of the Lord, in His holy house, and let Him seal your hearts together, and then go into this labor of life and make a home together, you will begin to be happy.

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I remember, as if it were only last week, when I married and hired a room, in which my wife and I began housekeeping. Our wants were but few; our means very limited; but we had enough to eat, to be comfortable and happy with each other. I remember the first time I bowed down to pray by that fireside that I had hired to live by. I tell you I felt nearer like a man than I had ever done before in my life. When I was a single man, traveling around as an Elder, I had either to find friends or to make them; for it is the business of the Elder to make friends if they do not find them ready made. I used to think sometimes that maybe I was in somebody's way; and when I was ill or afflicted, certainly I was dependent upon somebody's kindness, and I generally found it. But I did not feel that strange way in my own hired house Now, my good young brother, to whom I am talking now, you want to become a man among men; you want to become an Elder among the Elders of Israel; you want to have a wife, and a home, where you can have concentrated all the comforts and happiness of mortal life, and where you can have the fulfillment of the promise that where two or three are agreed as touching anything it should be granted to them. I remember how we used to pray that the lord would grant unto us that we might have children who would be kind and dutiful and obedient, and who would love Him and walk in His ways. The Lord gave us such children, too. That is the way we felt when we called upon the Lord and asked Him for every blessing that we needed. So we worked our way along as best we could. The Lord helped us and steadied us, until when we had to leave Nauvoo we were able to leave a nice, comfortable brick house, a garden and lot that we had bought and paid for, all fenced and cultivated. Then again, when the Prophet Joseph was killed, the question was, how shall we finish the temple? I recollect well that Elders were sent out through the Churches to gather means for this purpose. I was sent to Michigan, The thing was, that temple had to be finished or we could not go get our endowments and learn the things that had been kept hid from before the foundations of the world. What was to be done? When we got back, the Presidency called us together and told us the thing as it was. I recollect distinctly that one after another came forward and offered everything he possessed to finish that temple, and I was thankful that I could count one among that number. Of course, things are different now to what they were then. But this is what the young man wants. If he has the holy faith of the Gospel, he has within him the elements of a kindred and friends, and be man among men. A Saint among Saints. Oh! what a blessing it will be to you young men when you get to be old, to feel that you have a righteous race around you, who will try to carry out your will and pleasure after you are gone. You must consider, my boy, that your life is not all of today, tomorrow, this year or next year. You are but making a start here to obtain that life and immortality which is revealed in the Gospel, and to stand at the head of a righteous race. Father Abraham lived to be a hundred years old before he got a boy, and see what the Lord has made of him! His name, his seed and his generations are here, and his blood is in you. The promises that were made unto him and to his son Isaac, and then to Jacob, have beech renewed upon your fathers and the faithful in these last days. Rise up and take hold of them.

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They await you. Speaking of my own case, I recollect well how, as we got along there came a time, when we needed some consecrated oil. I took a bottle of oil to President Young in Nauvoo, and asked him to consecrate it. He did so; and said he, "The next time you want a bottle of oil consecrated, do it yourself." This is the way a man develops. He comes to be a father, and he needs to prepare himself to assume the responsibilities of the position, that he may bless his little children as they come along, and consecrate the oil if need be. I remember it struck me all over when the President told me to consecrate the oil. Could I do it? Would the Lord hear me? Well, he told me to do it, and I did it. So step by step we go along in the work of the Lord. I recollect the first time I went to stop with President Young. When it came to prayer time, he asked Brother Franklin to pray. I was but a boy, and I turned to him and said, "President Young, I would rather you pray; you can pray better than I can." "Oh! well," said he, "you can pray well enough; you try it." So I knelt down and prayed the best I could. Thus we have to prepare ourselves and be ready for every duty as we go along. I wish that some of these boys who are among us, scarcely knowing which way to turn or what to do, would Just brace up and do what is right, let the consequence follow; and, as your fathers have done, go and try to be somebody and do something that shall be worthy for both you and your children to remember. All these principles are important; and if the young folks sensed their importance I know there would not be so much carelessness as there is. You want to go into this union that I have been speaking of with a determination of purpose to bring to yourselves the pleasures and exaltations of the future life, bring back the pleasures and blessings of the former life, enter into the fulness of that life which is eternal, and take hold on the things of God, as if you meant to be men and women of God. Remember the pathway that some of your fathers and mothers have had to travel to get where they are today. Think of your condition as it is today. The chances for you to get and make homes now, why there is no comparison to what they were when we were in the States. There is no possible chance for you to have to pass through the severe, rugged and trying scenes that many of your parents have had to pass through to get to this place and make Utah what it is today. Then be brave, and daring, and strike out in that which is manifestly your duty to do. The first thing we have any account of our Father commanding Adam was to multiply and replenish and subdue the earth, and take dominion. And that same saying is just as applicable now to all good Later-day Saints in this new part of the world as it was when it was first given to father Adam. I really do wish that it could be sensed and acted upon more generally. We should live by every word of the Lord and every principle of truth that is given to us. I feel like saying a few words about tithing -- that old, threadbare subject, that you

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have not heard anything new about for a long time. I tell you it looks as new to me as it ever did, because it is the word of the Lord; and unless we can take it in and make it to operate upon us, and we operate in it, we shall never become the people that we want to be. The Lord has told us positively that if we do not keep the law of tithing this land shall not be a land of Zion unto us. Is not that as straight and as strong as anything we get? On the other hand, He says that if we will do this He will make it to be a land of Zion unto us. What does it mean to be a tithepayer? It means that of all which the Lord gives to us in this life we should devote one-tenth to Him. We should recognize that it is all His till He puts it into our possession as stewards; and when He does this we should remember that one-tenth is not ours. It says expressly in the scriptures that the tithing is the Lord's, and therefore we have no right to appropriate it to our use and say we will restore it at the end of the year, or at the end of the job. It is the Lord's. We have only right to take that which He gives to us. We must take this course if we want to get the real virtue and benefit of a true and faithful stewardship. You want to so arrange it that the food you eat, and the clothing you wear come to you through that which has been tithed; that your body and all that is in it are composed of that which is rightfully given you of the Lord, and that you have paid your tithing on -- if it is proper to say "paid your tithing." If you have not trespassed and used the Lord's tithing, you can feel that you are doing in that what the Lord permits and requires. It is just so with everything you have around you. Young man, when you get married and secure that farm that we have been talking about, be sure that everything has been tithed before you get it; or, when it is given you with the principles of increase, that you tithe it faithfully while you have it in hand, in order that you may plant yourselves in righteousness on this land, so that wherever you locate it shall become a Zion unto you. That is the way I look at the matter of tithing. I think if we entertain that subject correctly, live on the nine-tenths of what the Lord puts in our possession, and give to Him that which is His (which is never ours), we shall institute the rule and law that the Lord wants us to do. To me it is so simple and plain that a farmer would not have to stop to quarrel with himself to know whether he should reckon out his labor and reckon out this and that before he paid his tithing. If we as a people would thus deal with the Lord in that which is our stewardship, how often we have been assured by the authorities of the Church that that would give enough revenue to meet the general expenses of the Church, and we would not have to be taxing so much and so often for other offerings. For my part, this plan of salvation is, as the Lord has pointed out, the way we have to accept; for He says if any bring an offering except as appointed by the Father, it will not be accepted. We have to come to the Father by the Lord Jesus Christ; and by His principles and instructions, to become like Him. He wants the whole human family to be just as dutiful and obedient as He was. We pray, "Our Father, which art in heaven; hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven." The Lord says, in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, that it is His good pleasure to give to His people the kingdom. He told the early Elders to be of good cheer; "it is your Farther's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Now the kingdom of God has come; that is to say, the government, the

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priesthood, the ordinances and the principles of salvation are revealed to us to build up the Church of Christ, as we may have it to build up until the Savior shall come, or until the prophets shall come and reveal to us more than we have already attained to. I recollect very distinctly hearing the Prophet Joseph say that the kingdom had come, but the will was not done yet on the earth as it was done in heaven; and in order that the sisters especially might understand it, he said, "You sisters can understand it By this little similitude. When you scald out your milk pans, you have the milk pan." "Yes." "But it is not full of milk?" "No, of course not." "Now, here the kingdom has come, but His will is not done on earth yet as it is done in heaven. The milkpan is not filled up yet in doing the will of God." We are here to learn and to toil to this end; not only those who are grey-haired and bald-headed, but the boys and girls. It is for all of us to do the works of righteousness and faith, that the will of God may be done on earth as it is done in heaven, so that there may not only be a milkpan, but a pan of milk. I heard the Prophet make use of this figure in the grove at the top of the hill, just in front of where the temple stood, in Nauvoo. My brethren and sisters, we have before us the law of the Lord. We are blessed today as we have not been blessed in a great many years. We are blessed with the First Presidency fully organized. We are blessed with the quorum of the Apostles, and all twelve of them are with us today. It makes me to feel very joyful and thankful; for as long as I have been in the quorum -- now over fifty years -- it has been but a very few times that we have had the pleasure of coming to conference with a full quorum of the Twelve present, or coming into our council and talking over the things of God with a full number. The other councils are also generally well filled. We have over a hundred quorums of Seventies! The organization is complete, and the Lord has designed to bless us remarkably with all the facilities to keep His commandments, to covenant with Him, to go into His holy temples and learn how to become saviors for our dead, and labor to bring to pass this restitution of all things which are in Christ Jesus, both which are in heaven and which are upon earth. I pray that the blessings of the Lord may be multiplied upon us all, through obedience and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It has to come through obedience, that our faith shall increase. We must draw near to the Lord. We do not ask the Lord so much as He would like us to ask. He has said emphatically that to him that asketh it shall be given; there is none that seeketh that shall not find, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Let us cleave unto the Lord and walk in His ways; strive to serve Him in all things, that we may be able to increase in righteousness; that we and our generations after us may grow up in fear of the Lord, honor Him in the earth, and be counted worthy of that life and immortality which are being brought to light in the Gospel, and which the Savior has died to bring to pass unto us. We ought not to forget that this is but the beginning of a people who are to have such a position that by and by the Lord will come and dwell in their midst on the earth. O glorious thought! We often hear it talked about swords being beaten into plowshares, spears into pruning hooks, the cow and the bear feeding together, the lion eating straw like the ox, etc.

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All these things, and a multitude more, have to take place, and the sooner or later depends upon our faithfulness and our diligence in keeping the commandments of God and helping to build up righteousness in the earth; for He will weed out and remove the wicked to make room for the righteous as fast as there is necessity for it. I pray the Lord to bless you, my brethren and sisters, in all your varied interests; in your persons with health and faith to overcome your infirmities, and with ability to live and become full of years and ladened with experiences of the goodness of God. God bless you in all your temporal affairs; and you will be if you tithe them properly and then use what you do use to advance the interests of His work. We must never lose sight of the fact that it is our great business to send the Gospel to the people of the earth. That is why we are calling upon you continually for brethren to go in the ministry. We calculate to keep calling. The demand is increasing everywhere, You fathers, and mothers, brothers and sisters, please hear it, and take notice, and be ready for the word when it comes for that son, that brother, that father to go and thrust in his sickle and reap, for the harvest, is great and the work is increasing wonderfully. May the Lord bless and prosper every interest of Zion. May He bless the Presidency, to be full of wisdom, revelation and knowledge; and the Twelve Apostles, that we may be such men as we ought to be, to take the counsels of the Lord and dispense them to the people, and administer salvation everywhere we go. I pray that the Lord will increase His kindness and His affection and love towards us, and increase our kindness and affection and love towards you. You that have weaknesses, and perhaps have sinned, do not take it into your heart that the Lord wants to see you afflicted and cut off. He will not that any shall perish, but that all shall come to repentance. Therefore, draw near to the Lord, You who may feel yourselves the farthest from Him, find your way back to Him, that you may walk in His ways, and He will work in you by His Spirit after a while, and will show unto you His good pleasure, and you shall know of His favor, His loving kindness and forgiveness of sins. That we may so live that He may increase His favor and loving kindness toward us, I humbly desire and pray, with all the rest of you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. The Temple choir sang the selection, A beautiful City, the solo being rendered by Sister Maggie Hull.

ELDER BRIGHAM YOUNG

The leading object of tithing is to educate the Saints -- The necessity of being guided by the Spirit of God.

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If you will give me your attention I will endeavor to speak loud enough that all the congregation may hear what I have to say. I regret very much that all of the congregation could not hear the remarks of President Richards, and it is possible that there are many here that will not hear what I have to say; but he has touched upon many valuable points and advanced doctrine that is dear to the heart of every Latter-day Saint; for with all those who have Zion in their hearts, her interests are foremost on all occasions. President Richards touched upon the principle of tithing, and he used these words, as near as I remember, in reference to this principle: "The old theme of tithing; there is nothing new in relation to it particularly, but it is one of the most important principles revealed to the Latter-day Saints. If the people dwelling upon this land pay not their tithing, it shall not be a land of Zion unto them." It is very important, it seems to me that we should pay our tithing, for if this be not a land of Zion unto us, then the displeasure of God will rest upon us, for it was so predicted. There are many new things connected with this principle that I have heard the brethren speak of. I remember on one occasion, and I have mentioned it from this stand at one of our conferences, that I had a revelation in relation to this principle. The Lord revealed to me, that I needed not to open the book of Doctrine and Covenants and read the revelation on tithing, but to speak on that principle as thee spirit should direct, and I obeyed the voice of the Spirit. I was told to say to that congregation, that I had the privilege of addressing, that the principle of tithing was given because the people had rejected the higher law; and this law of tithing was given that they might be in training. It was as the first primer in the system of education to the child, and when the people had adopted that which had been given on tithing, when they had absorbed it and become thoroughly conversant with it, and were acting in perfect obedience thereto, God would give unto them again the higher law; but if a man who paid his tithing did it grudgingly, he was blinding his eyes to his own interests; if he laid his own judgment upon the revelation and paid according to his selfish ideas, and was very strict with the bishop, that he would be dealt with in precisely the same way by the spirit of God. Need I say to you that whenever the spirit of God begins to hew our sides off to straighten them, there won't be much timber left when it gets through with mortal man. That is my opinion, at least, and God has given us this law to perfect us. He has given it to us to bear and meet those expenses mentioned by President Richards, but He has also given it to us for a greater and wiser purpose than this, if possible. We are in training for the greater law; and the man who undertakes to interpret the law of tithing to suit his notions, as I find some of the brethren doing, they will be misled to that extent that they will not be prepared for the higher law when it is revealed. For this is a system of training that God has instituted for the people. I ask this congregation, how many of us are acting under that law of tithing with the free and full spirit of God to direct us? Every man that gives the Lord the advantage is on the safe side. Not like a sister I heard express herself. She had a horse to pay for tithing; she sent it to the bishop, and she put the price on the animal. She said: "This horse is worth fifty dollars, and I want that credit for it." The horse was worth twenty-five, no more; but she wanted a credit of fifty dollars for it or to have it sent back. That spirit operating upon the minds of the Latter-day Saints will becloud their minds to the greater blessings that God has in store for

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us. We, today, are in training by and through the influences of the spirit of God. As our President said yesterday, this people are in training throughout the length and breadth of the land for the glorious work -- the redemption of Zion; and the man or the woman Who puts his or her price upon articles they have to pay in for tithing, and who are glad to shovel off something that they have no use for in the tithing department, God will reward them according to their just deserts. If my heart is right, every time that I pay tithing, I pay it with this view and this understanding before God: -- I am preparing my mind and all that is in me that when the higher law shall come, I may be prepared to receive it, and may be numbered among those who will return to Jackson County and go into the order which God instituted to preserve His people. This revelation must be looked upon in this light: We are in a school of training and God designs that this people should be educated, that they may be prepared to redeem the earth and make it like the garden of Eden. This is an important part of the great school which the Latter-day Saints are in today and have been in ever since I can remember, and before, too. Think of it, Latter-day Saints, that when you are paying your tithing you are making your minds liberal, spreading out, broadening your ideas, that when the word comes, you can say, I am on the altar in the Church and kingdom of God with everything that I possess, with all that the Lord has given me," that you may inherit everlasting life in the celestial kingdom of our God. If we give all, we shall inherit all. It is a principle which God has laid down, and I exhort the Latter-day Saints to be very careful in paying their tithing, because this is the stepping stone to the greater law. The principle of revelation to me is the most important principle we have, in one respect. If men were not dual creatures, and could devise means as to how to proceed and act with certainty, we might say revelation was unnecessary. But there is no act of man, perhaps, that is not prompted by the thought that enters the brain. If that be the case, and man is dual, how necessary that we should be directed by the spirit of God, which He sends to lead men in the ways of life everlasting! How necessary it is to receive it and to keep it that the very thoughts of our minds may be directed by Him above, who gives life eternal. The principle of revelation to every man and to every woman is the safeguard that will keep them from becoming entangled in the meshes o the sinful. A passage comes to my mind that is found in Sec. 84 of the Doc. and Cov.-A revelation given through Joseph Smith the prophet, at Kirtland, Geauga County, Ohio, the 22nd and 23rd of September, 1832, four years before I was born in that place: "And I now give unto you a commandment to beware concerning yourselves, to give diligent heed to the words of eternal life: "For you shall live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God. "For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is

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light is spirit, even the spirit of Jesus Christ; "And the spirit giveth light unto every man that cometh into the world; and the spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the spirit." This is the spirit that Latter-day Saints are taught to cultivate. That spirit is given; it is yours; it is in the possession of every human being that comes into the world, so far as I know. I see no exceptions. It is the province, and duty of the Latter-day Saints to cultivate that spirit until it becomes as a living fire within them. There is no error, though it may be couched in the smoothest and most beautiful language that can ever entangle the spirits of those who walk in the way of life. Therein is safety. The brightest intellects, the strongest minds, the most powerful men, are swayed like children by the spirits of the air, by the spirits from beneath, if they are not guarded and protected and strengthened by the spirit of God. That spirit is given to them to cultivate it to the extent that it is an armor impregnable to all of the various sects and parties that are trying to drag our people down to destruction. "And everyone that hearkeneth to the voice of the spirit cometh unto God, even the Father; "And the Father teacheth him of the covenant which he has renewed and confirmed upon you, which is confirmed upon you for your sakes, and not for your sakes only, but for the sake of the whole world." Hear it Latter-day Saints -- you are cultivating the spirit for the whole world. Not for you and your posterity, but for all of the children of men whom God has placed here. You have come out of the world, not to bring Babylon with you. But people have come here from Babylon, and are among the Latter-day Saints with their sins and filth, and we gather it up by the handfulls, sometimes to the extinction of that power that God has placed in every man. "And the whole world liveth in sin, and groaneth under darkness and under the bondage of sin. Who has said it? Jesus Christ said it to His servant the prophet. "And by this ye may know they are under the bondage of sin because they come not unto me. "For whoso cometh not unto me is under the bondage of sin. "And whoso receiveth not my voice is not acquainted with my voice and is not of me; "And by this you may know the righteous from the wicked, and that the whole world groaneth under sin and darkness even now."

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My brethren and sisters, here is a test for you: By these things that I have read you may know the righteous from the wicked. Who is it that will receive that spirit and cultivate it? Who is it that listens to the voice of the men whom God has placed to redeem the world and guide in the redemption of the human family? Who are these men? and what do they say to the people? What have they said to the people during this conference? What has the President and his fellow-laborers said at this conference? They have delivered unto you the words of life and salvation, and as true as God lives, according to the spirit that is in me, we will be judged by the words of these men in the time to come. They have given unto you the words of everlasting life. They have given unto you those things that God has given unto them, to purify you. I testify to you that the Church is growing; that the Gospel is here and men respect it and women respect it. But how many more might respect this glad message that God has sent us if they would but seek Him and be earnest and faithful and prayerful and humble and keep the spirit of light within them! God bless you and peace be unto you in all of your homes in all of the settlements of the Latter-day Saints. Be faithful that we may have victory, and sing the song of the victorious in the day that is not far distant, which I ask in the name of Jesus. Amen

PRESIDENT LORENZO SNOW

How to overcome temptation -- The Holy Spirit an unerring guide. I have been very much pleased with what has been said this morning, and also during the whole of this conference. We certainly have had a very excellent time. It struck me while Brother Young was addressing us that there were two very strong temptations that trouble us from time to time, and which sometimes prevent the spirit of light from giving us the information absolutely necessary for our prosperity. One is, what will people say if I do so and so? If I do these things that are now required of me, what will be said of me? I think that every one, at least most of my brethren and sisters who are now before me, will understand what I mean, from the experiences they have had. Such a consideration has affected almost every one. I know that it was the case with me, when the principles of the Gospel were announced and I took them into contemplation. It came to my mind; "what will people say if I receive these doctrines, and it is known that I have become

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what is called a "Mormon?" When such a temptation as this comes before us it should be laid aside, and not permitted to influence us. Another temptation is, How much money shall I give? That is a very strong temptation to most of us, I presume. Speaking of tithing as Brother Brigham has, how much of this tithing shall I give? Cannot I reserve a portion to myself? The Lord is very rich and I doubt if He will be troubled at all if I withhold a little for myself; and so a little to oneself is withheld. But that very little that is reserved will trouble that man, if his conscience is like the consciences of most of the Latter-day Saints. It will trouble him more or less in the day time, and also when he thinks of it at night. He does not have that happiness that it is his privilege to enjoy -- it goes from him. One of the best things to do under such a temptation as that is to give, so as to be sure, a trifle more than is required; and to think that you have it wholly within yourself to do so. If you do this the temptation is overcome, you have been successful in contending with it; and you are better prepared to battle with the next allurement successfully, though it be stronger than the first. And if you do not then, at some future time you will thank the Lord. There is a way by which persons can keep their consciences clear before God and man, and that is to preserve within them the spirit of God, which is the spirit of revelation to every man and woman. It will reveal to them, even in the simplest of matters, what they shall do, by making suggestions to them. We should try to learn the nature of this spirit, that we may understand its suggestions, and then we will always be able to do right. This is the grand privilege of every Latter-day Saint. We know that it is our right to have the manifestations of the spirit every day of our lives. Persons come to me very anxious to receive counsel upon some subject or other. They need not come to me always (under some circumstances, of course, it would be highly proper), for the spirit is within them to bring about good and to accomplish the purposes of God. The spirit is in every man and every woman so that they need not walk in the darkness at all, and it is not always necessary for them to come to the President of the Church, or to the Twelve, or to the Elders of Israel, to get counsel; they have it within them; there is a friend that knows Just exactly what to say to them. From the time we receive the Gospel, go down into the waters of baptism and have hands laid upon us afterwards for the gift of the Holy Ghost, we have a friend, if we do not drive it from us by doing wrong. That friend is the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, which partakes of the things of God and shows them unto us. This is a grand means that the Lord has provided for us, that we may know the light, and not be groveling continually in the dark. I wanted to say these few words, as they were suggested to me while Brother Young was addressing us. God bless you, Latter-day Saints, and my friends who are here, who have honest hearts. God bless you and crown you with His Holy Spirit, that you may know that the time has come when the Lord has called a people to prepare for the coming of the Son of God,

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who shall appear and be in our midst and teach us the mysteries of the kingdom. God bless you and preserve you all in the holy path of righteousness, exaltation and glory, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen. The choir sang the anthem, "Let the Mountains Shout for Joy." Benediction by Elder Joseph W. McMurrin.

THIRD DAY MORNING MEETING (OVERFLOW)

An overflow meeting was held in the Assembly Hall, at which Elder John W. Taylor, of the quorum of the Apostles, presided. The Temple choir and congregation sang: Now let us rejoice in the day of salvation, No longer as strangers on earth need we roam. Prayer was offered by Elder F. A. Hammond of San Juan Stake. The choir sang the hymn: I know that my Redeemer lives. What comfort this sweet sentence gives.

ELDER JONATHAN G. KIMBALL

I have been very much interested during this semi-annual conference. Personally, I cannot remember the time when I have been more pleased with the discourses. There is one grand feature connected with them that has forced itself upon my mind. It is, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all other things shall be added unto you." I remember instances when temporal matters seemed to be foremost. I comprehend as well as others how necessary it is that we should have temporal things brought to our attention. Sometimes I have felt a little in doubt which should be the most prominent at present, our temporal salvation, or our spiritual salvation, and I have been unable to say which should be first. Some of our people are in a regrettable condition, and much has been said upon this

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question and it has seemed quite a hobby with me as I have passed through that experience, but I will not take time to say anything upon that feature. Our people should follow the instructions that have been given them and keep out of debt. I call to mind a saying of the Lord; "I am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say, then ye have no premise." He says to the young people: "He that seeketh me early shall find me, and he shall not be forsaken." The Lord has made great and wonderful promises to this people. I desire to call your attention to an incident that occurred when I was laboring in the Southern States, in 1884. I went there in 1883. The year 1884 was a time of a sad experience in that mission. It was then that some of our Elders lost their lives by mob violence. It seemed that there was bitterness on all hands. We had but few friends. I was at the office in Chattanooga under Elder Roberts at the time. I picked up a Chattanooga Times one morning, and I was very much delighted to see in print these words, speaking of Elder John Morgan. It said, "To shake his hand was to be his friend." I have never forgotten it. When you shook John Morgan's hand and he looked into your face you always knew that you were his friend. John Morgan understood that principle. Some of our people are becoming careless in the shaking of hands. I have shaken hands with some men, when I would just as soon have put my hand into a bucket of ice water as to shake hands with them. They may have been friendly, but I have no means of telling. Great sermons have been preached in this Church by the simple shaking of hands; and you who have been in holy places; you who have been in the holy temple, know what it means to shake hands. I witnessed a play in the Theater here, and was very much taken up with it -- Julius Caesar -- and when I saw the mimic representatives of great Romans walk up and shake hands, I presume every one in that large Theater was impressed with the idea that it meant friendship. But we have been too much carried away with temporal matters. When our Elders come home -- we have probably eight hundred who return every year -- they ask me what is the matter with the people? They discover it whenever they shake hands with you. When you meet the Elders that coma home and shake hands with them, they will hardly let go of your hand, they are so friendly, and you can feel it in your hearts that they love you. They do it from the bottom of their hearts. You, who have lost children know when a person comes up to you and sympathizes with you on account of your loss, taking you by the hand and looking you in the face, notwithstanding they do not utter a word, you feel that friendship, that sympathy that pierces to the innermost recesses of your hearts. Those who have lost wives, if one who has passed through that terrible experience comes to sympathize with another man who has lost his wife, in shaking his hand there is a feeling of friendship and sympathy that cannot be expressed in words. Brethren and sisters, we can afford to be sympathetic; we can afford of all people on the earth to be filled with sympathy and compassion. I am not concerned very much about what other religionists do. We have the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it has withstood

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every test. We have sent out our young Elders without experience, and it is marvelous, it is wonderful, it is one of the great testimonies to me how these young men can meet the men of the world as they do, with so little experience. It is a very strong evidence that we have the truth, that we have the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am not concerned about the Christian Scientists; I have little to say against them. If they do any good that is their business, but I wish to say that there will be Inroads made among this people. I call to mind now a circumstance of a Josephite preacher going into the city of Logan, among the intelligent people there, and going from house to house. It was discovered that our people were unable to meet him. He went to a Bishop's place, and he spoke unkindly to him, and a young Elder who had just returned from the East said: "Father, I am unwilling to stared by and hear that man talk as he is talking, and I will meet him in public debate," and he vanished, and that man did not wish to see him any more. We must be informed. No church can find a more successful way of making inroads among our people than by getting them to extend the hand of sympathy, love, and affection in their trials and tribulations. We, who hold the priesthood, Elders, Seventies, Teachers, and Deacons-ought to perform our duties; our hearts are not always as they should be; we do not always exhibit the sympathy, love and affection that we ought. I am sorry to say that some of my acquaintances, some who are near and dear to me, have been won from our Church through love and sympathy. My brethren and sisters, I have this to say in conclusion: Even if you are in a hurry, stop and shake hands before going on, but do it right; have the spirit of God within you, and when you greet them say, "God bless you." I know a good old sister, who is working for her living; she would not let the Church support her, she is too proud. She is over 70 years old. She said to me that when an Apostle took her by the hand and said "God bless you" it was worth more to her than all the money they could give her. I remember Apostle Erastus Snow, and I will never forget him as long as I live on the earth. He stopped long enough to take me by the hand as a boy, after my father was dead, and said "God bless you." There are others that have done so, and they stand foremost in my mind, and I remember and esteem every one of them. We should learn to love and honor each other. We should have the spirit of God burning within our hearts. You can make more converts in this way than by any other means. God bless you. Amen. The choir sang: "Who are these arrayed in white?"

ELDER RULON S. WELLS

My brethren and sisters: I also rejoice in the spirit of this conference; and I can say that it has been very enjoyable to me. It is the first general conference that I have had the privilege of attending for three years. Since that time it has been my privilege to labor in foreign lands, among strange people; but I rejoice all the more in coming back into the union

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of the Church, associating with the Saints, and mingling my testimony with those of my brethren to the truth of the work in which we are engaged. I rejoice in the progress of the work of God. I rejoice in the great advancement made by the Latter-day Saints. While there is plenty of room for improvement, yet we discover a great deal of progress being made among those who are really in earnest and are keeping the commandments of God -- these are marching on toward the goal we all desire to reach. What does preaching amount to if it is not put into practice by the Latter-day Saints; if we do not profit by the instructions which we receive? Every one who has heard the voices of the prophets of God, the holy apostles, and the instructions they have given during this conference, and has not determined within himself to benefit by them, will receive no good from them. They will simply be as a sounding brass and as a tinkling cymbal, so far as any benefit being derived from them is concerned. But if we will put into practice the principles we have been taught, and if we will yield obedience to the counsels that have been given, and live in accordance with the spirit that has been made manifest in this conference, then we will go onward and progress in the knowledge of God, and will prepare ourselves for the coming of our Savior. I was particularly impressed with the remarks of the brethren in regard to the treatment that should be extended to those who are converted, and immigrate to Zion. It has been observed by many, and I have also observed it, that numbers of our new converts do not receive the kind reception they should. They come from foreign lands where they have received the Gospel, and the first love of the Gospel is burning within their hearts; they have been filled with a great warmth of love towards our brethren and sisters, and in their far distant homes the spirit of gathering has come upon them and they have resolved to come to the land of Zion. They have been filled with a desire to cast their lot with the people of God, that they might learn more of His ways; that they might be taught the will of the Lord and learn to do it better, and that they might mingle with Latter-day Saints -- men and women of God. Those have been their desires. They have sold out their little possessions in the foreign lands, have forsaken their native countries, bid adieu to the prospects of their youth, and have severed their communications with them in order that they might mingle with us. What has been the reception of many that have come up unto the land of Zion? Instead of receiving that hearty and warm shake of the hand that Brother Kimball has been speaking of, they have not in many instances even received one of those cold greetings that have been referred to. They have felt a lack of that warmth of feeling that should be extended to them, and they have thought that love was not abounding in our midst. I think it is time the attention of the Latter-day Saints was called to their indifference toward each other -- they should learn to be brethren and sisters in very deed. I endorse the remarks of Brother Kimball in regard to this matter. I think when our Saints come here attention should be paid to them. I was pleased to hear the remarks of President Snow when he stated that some one would be appointed to look after these matters. It should be done in every ward in Zion, that when they come they may find that they are cared for. I am aware that a great many of the Latter-day Saints have felt the necessity for this, and I am aware, too, that a great deal is

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being done; but I feel in my heart that a great deal more could be done to make the reception we extend to our Saints more cheerful and warm. It is not always necessary to extend to them financial aid, but they should be made to feel that they are among their friends, their brethren and sisters. A little kindness, a little consideration, a simple visit, or an invitation, will often be the means of making them happy. It is the experience of missionaries in the field to find many of those who have come here to Zion, who have become dissatisfied through a lack of this warmth and affection, writing back to their friends concerning it; and in some cases the letters they write are too true. Of course they have happened to fall amongst those who are not abounding in that love and regard they should have for one another. When our Savior was upon the earth He preached upon this subject, as also did His apostles after Him. They exhorted the Saints then to love one another, to be kind to one another and to be full of consideration one for the other. The first great commandment was that "we should love the Lord with all our might, mind, and strength," and the second, like unto it, was that "we should love our neighbor as ourself.' If that love abounds in the hearts of the people, it will make itself manifest among them. We read in the scriptures that "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." We should give expression to the kind feelings that are within us, and should cultivate the spirit of the Gospel towards one another. We should learn to profit by these principles that have been revealed to us, for they are the power of God unto salvation. If we simply accept them with our minds, but do not practice them in our lives, they will not save us. If we will practice them, they will purify our hearts and bring us to a knowledge of God, "whom to know is life eternal." I bear my testimony unto you my brethren and sisters that I do know that this Gospel is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus, that it has been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith for the salvation of the human family. I know that this is the truth by the relations of God to me through His Holy Spirit; and I will say to the Latter-day Saints, as was said to the former day Saints by one of the Apostles that "if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we will have fellowship one for another, and the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse us from all sin." In order "to walk in the light, we must enjoy the light of the spirit of God, for that is the light that should lighten our path, and that should lead us onward to our salvation; and we can enjoy that only as we are yielding obedience to the principles of the ever- lasting Gospel and listening to the counsels of God through His servants, for we are told that "we should live not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God;" and the words of God are those that are spoken through the inspiration of His Holy Spirit by those whom he has called to administer His word unto the people. May the Lord bless us with noble and worthy ambitions and with a determination to improve our lives; and let the love of truth burn within us, and also the love of our fellowmen. Let us do what we can for the onward progress of the kingdom of God, for it is a great honor that has been conferred upon us, in that we have received the Gospel, and in that we have been chosen of God to be instruments in His hands to disseminate a knowledge of the truth among the nations of the earth. May the Lord help us to be worthy of the trust He has imposed on us; may He help us to improve the time and talents which He has bestowed

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upon us to the interest of His kingdom; may we all seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and I promise you, in the name of the Lord, that all other things, prosperity, happiness, comfort, and wealth, will be given unto us, in the name of Jesus. Amen. Sister Emma Ramsey then sang: Come all ye sons of Zion, And let us praise the Lord.

ELDER A. O. WOODRUFF
I will read a few verses from the 28th chapter of Second Nephi: "And, now behold my brethren, I have spoken unto you as the spirit hath constrained me, wherefore, I know that they shall surely come to pass. "The things which shall be written out of the book shall be of great worth unto the children of men, and especially unto our seed, which is a remnant of the house of Israel. "For it shall come to pass in that day, that the churches which are built up, and not unto the Lord, when the one shall say unto the other, Behold I, I am the Lord's; and the others shall say, I, I am the Lord's. And thus shall every one say that hath built up churches, and not unto the Lord." Those who profess in the world to be ministers of Christ, are fulfilling this prophecy to the very letter. It appears that the ministers who profess to be the teachers of Christ's doctrine in this city and other parts where our people are located, have made a specialty of preaching the doctrine that the gifts and blessings which follow the believer have been done away. The Lord has said that certain signs should follow the believer, and this people knows that these signs and that these blessings which were to follow a true faith, a true repentance, a true baptism, and a true laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost, are found in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today. When men who profess to be ministers of Christ stand up and teach the people otherwise they are manifesting the spirit of anti-Christ-they are teaching anti-Christ doctrine. They are not teaching the doctrine that Paul referred to when he said: "Though we or an angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." They are not preaching that Gospel which is the power of God unto salvation unto them that believe. They are preaching the doctrine and are representing the churches that have been built up to the honor of men -- to the honor of Peter, of Paul, of Luther, of Zwingle, and other reformers -men who lived in former times. They are not teaching the one faith, the one Lord and the one

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baptism which Jesus preached when He was upon the earth. Just so long as God acknowledges His Church upon the earth the signs will follow the believer. I am glad to know that this is an individual work; that we have not to depend upon the testimony of Peter, of Paul, of Mark, or of Matthew, or any of those who lived in the days of Christ, to enjoy and have a testimony of this work. I thank God that every one that has arrived to the years of accountability, can know that this work is of God. When men seek to teach the people that these gifts have been done away, that they were simply necessary to establish the Church in ancient times, and that they have now been done away, they deny the scriptures. We are told in holy writ, "seek ye in the scriptures, for in them Ye think ye have eternal life, and see if they are not they which testify of me." The scriptures testify that these signs should follow the believer. Peter taught it upon the day of Pentecost, telling the people if they would repent of their sins, and be baptized for the remission of them, they should receive the Holy Ghost, and these gifts would be made manifest unto them. When Peter and the other Apostles stood up before the people they taught the doctrine of the Lord Jesus unto them; but today men say these things are done away. It has been taught in the world, and in some of the sectarian churches in this city within the last few weeks that Abraham was an ignorant man; that God overlooked sin and crime in his case because of his degeneracy and ignorance. It is remarkable that we live in a time when those who profess to be the followers of Christ will ridicule the man whom the Lord held up and called righteous, and call him degenerate and ignorant; he who was held up through the mission of Christ as a perfect man, the father of the faithful. There are anti-Christs among this people; we hear anti- Christ doctrine from time to time -- doctrine which is not in accordance with any of the scriptures that have been handed down to us, nor in accordance with the teachings of the Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our people should be warned of these doctrines, the doctrines of devils and of men, that are taught in some of the congregations of the world today by those who profess to be the followers of Christ -- Spiritualists, Christian Scientists and others. Those who advocate them claim that they are Christ's. But they do not teach the doctrine of Christ? They deny the cardinal doctrines our Savior taught while He was upon the earth. Why don't they teach the one Lord, the one faith, and the one baptism that was taught by our Savior and His disciples? Why is it that they deny faith in the true and living God -- a God with body, parts and passions. How is it that they deny these things? Why do they deny true baptism? Jesus says, "Except ye are born of the water and of the spirit ye cannot enter into the kingdom of God." If they believe in the doctrine of Jesus Christ, why do they spiritualize away the resurrection, the fundamental doctrine which Jesus taught while He was upon the earth? I say our people should beware of them. Where can you find Latter-day Saints that have become discontented with our doctrines, that have Joined any of these sects that have been instituted by men, if they have been faithful and kept themselves free from the sins of the world; there is a cause for apostasy; there is a cause for sin; there is a cause for rebellion; there is a cause for disobedience. They do not come by chance. It is all right to prove all things and hold fast to that which is good, but we should be established in the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ; we should have a testimony of the divinity of this work, for it is God's work and He will see it through. He Will cause that it shall triumph over everything that is manmade; and He will choose those things which seem to be naught to bring to naught those that be.

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God bless you. Amen.

ELDER RUDGER CLAWSON

My brethren and sisters: This idea of having short speeches and songs interspersed meets my mind exactly. It is an arrangement which seems to please the people. In Boxelder Stake we have our opening exercises, then we have the sacrament, after the sacrament singing again, then a short sermon, then a song, then another short sermon, and after that the concluding exercises; and that generally brings us to half past three, and we close our meeting. This is a custom we fallow at all times, except during our conferences, when we go a little beyond that hour. When this meeting shall have closed you will remember that the Temple choir has done a great deal in helping to make it interesting and instructive. I sat in the Tabernacle and looked out upon the vast congregation of Saints, I was impressed with the remark of President Cannon when he reminded us that the Church had grown from a small beginning, from an organization of six members in the year 1830, to what we witness today. I remember the time when President Young was in our midst, and a large canvas was stretched through the centre of the Tabernacle, and at conference time there were no more people assembled to hear the instructions of the servants of God than we have in this hall today. We now have this congregation and an immense congregation assembled in the Tabernacle, and I see hundreds of people passing back and forth; and there are hundreds of Saints upon the streets of Salt Lake City at this moment walking back and forth, and visiting among their friends. And there are other hundreds of people that could not come to this conference being detained at home owing to the lateness of the season, as they are putting in their seeds, trimming their trees; and putting things in order. We have grown to be a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains; and the peculiarity of it all is that this people are held together. You go down into the Utah Stake of Zion, meet with the people there in conference, and you will find the same spirit prevailing in their midst as we have witnessed at this general conference. If you go up into the Boxelder Stake you will find the same spirit prevailing there. If you go down to Old Mexico and meet with the Saints in that part of the country, there will be the same good spirit of the Gospel; and so in Canada, and in all parts of the Church. How is it that this people are not wandering away into false doctrines and into heresies and becoming darkened in their minds and contending one with another? It is the marvelous power of God that holds them together. I used to wonder, years ago, how it would be when the Church grew in numbers and spread out, filling the land north and south, east and west-how they could be held together and kept as one people having one faith, one baptism and one understanding of the Gospel. There is no power Under the heavens that could accomplish this wonderful thing but the power of God; and it is a testimony to me of the truth of this great work. If I saw nothing else about it, this would be convincing to me.

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We are established in the mountains, and the character of our organization, the character of our teachings, the character of our temporal work, is such that we are attracting the notice of the world; and the rich men, and the learned, and the dignitaries of this world who go forth and visit from place to place, feel that their Journey is not complete until they have visited Zion. They come into our meetings and learn something of our doctrine or organization; they go out upon our streets, visit the lake, and they see that wonderful building there; they go into our Tabernacle and are entertained there by musical selections from the great organ, and observe the remarkable acoustic properties of that building; they go out and look upon our Temple, and they see a building there that is fifty years ahead of the times, and it must surprise them greatly when they learn that that building was commenced in the days of poverty, and in the days of the afflictions of this people. But the grandeur of that building, which is estimated to have cost between three and four million dollars. The beauty of its finish, the richness of its furnishings, are nothing compared to the spirit that you find in that building. Strangers who look upon it and contemplate the work of the Latter-day Saints, have no conception of the spirit that dwells in that holy Temple. When the Saints go into that building they are at first impressed by its surroundings, by the spaciousness of the rooms, and the beauty of the furnishings; but after awhile they forget all that; they have no time to think about the building, they are so deeply impressed by the spirit that is there. A place where they can enter and leave the world behind them. They are not troubled in that house by the cares and the anxieties and the troubles of this world. The world seems to be far beneath them. They have no time to think about it. They are swallowed up in the spirit and power of God. In reflecting, I have been struck with the idea that had it not been for the condescension of God to His servant Joseph Smith the prophet, that magnificent building would be of little use to us, as there would have been no occasion to build it. We could not have used it if we had had it. Its arrangement is such that it would be good for no other purpose except the purpose designed by our Father -- the performance of vicarious ordinance work for the living and for the dead. And it is through the blessing, mercy, and condescension of the Lord that we enjoy these blessings, and that we are permitted to go into the house of God; and that we are permitted to receive the Priesthood and go forth and work out our salvation in fear and trembling. I rejoice in these things, and I am truly thankful to be associated with you in this work of God. I have a desire in my heart to magnify the Priesthood and to follow counsel. I know there is safety in counsel. With the little experience I have had in the world, I have been delivered from many difficulties, I have been protected and shielded from harm, by following advice. I know that my Priesthood, my calling and the authority that God has given unto me, will be of little use in this world except I shall be submissive and willing to follow counsel. Let us reflect upon these things. Let us be wise in our day and generation, that God may be pleased to accept of our labors and crown us heirs with His Saints in His kingdom. I trust that this may be the case, in the name of Jesus. Amen. The choir sang "Along the river of time we glide," after which

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ELDER MATTHIAS F. COWLEY

My brethren and sisters: I desire your faith and prayers for the few moments that I shall occupy. I have very much rejoiced in the teachings of this conference, including this meeting; and the beautiful songs of praise which have been rendered, must of necessity impress the hearts of Latter-day Saints with the spirit of spiritual refinement, and tend to lead us to exercise our thoughts and influence our acts, when we shall leave this conference, in a strong devotion to the cause which we are so honored as to be identified with. I desire to ask my brethren and sisters, and in order to be consistent, I wily covenant with you, (as we shall get the reports of this conference) to read carefully all the instructions which have been given by President Snow, his counselors, the Twelve Apostles, and the presiding council of the Seventies, whose representatives are with us in this meeting, and that we shall digest at our leisure the counsel which has been imparted. The instructions are important, and their propriety should be a testimony to us that they have been dictated by the inspiration of the Lord. We have been instructed at this conference with teachings that should lead us to respect and venerate the Father and the Son, and to cherish with profound respect the name of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and also his successors down to the present administration of the affairs of the Church. We have been counseled to utilize the means, the material substance with which the Lord has so generously blessed us in these mountain valleys, more liberally in the advancement of the work of God upon the earth. In connection with this we ought to encourage the work for the salvation of the dead. Our contributions to the temples ought to be more liberal; and the Saints who are home, and especially those who have been blessed with means and have considerable leisure, ought to go to the Temples in their respective districts and work for the redemption of the dead. If you have not names in the line of your own family genealogy, there is an abundance of genealogical records which have been prepared by the inspiration of the Lord upon the hearts of men, not Latter-day Saints. Since the Prophet Elijah visited the Kirtland Temple and turned the keys of salvation for the dead, that spirit has brooded not only in the hearts of the Latter-day Saints, but it has operated largely in the hearts of men who do not understand the spirit which actuated them to write genealogical histories. We ought to work for the redemption of the dead. We have been cited by President Snow and others of the brethren to the necessity of paying our tithing, and we have been reminded that this law has been established to some extent as a source of education, to bring us to the observance of the higher law -- the law of consecration. Zion can only be redeemed upon that law. Now, if we would come to that higher law, we must act upon the law of tithing, and we must pay our tithes honestly and fully in order to secure the blessings which are attached to that sacred requirement which

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God has established as a law in His Church. We have been reminded at this conference by numbers of the brethren that we should utilize the temporal blessings which have come to us in making the Latter-day Saints more of a self-sustaining people. I do not understand the design of God to be that His Saints shall be dependant upon any nation. I do understand that the decree has gone forth that Babylon shall fall -- Babylon, the mother of harlots and the abomination of all the earth. Suppose her institutions should fall, and we should be cut off from that communication with the outside world that we now possess, what is our condition so far as material interests are concerned? We do not manufacture clothing enough to clothe our people; we do not manufacture boots and shoos enough for footwear; we do not manufacture the head-gear that adorns and shades the heads of the men and women of this Church. We do not utilize the elements with which the Lord has so abundantly blessed this land and work them into utensils that are essential for the benefit of the people as we should do. The time is coming when God will require us to do it, when He will require that the apparel and other articles of usefulness shall be of the workmanship of our hands, and it is the duty of the Latter-day Saints to use the manufactured materials that can be produced in this land by our own efforts. I do not think that we should be a covenant breaking people. I remember a few years ago, when Brother John W. Taylor and myself lived in the Fourteenth ward, on a certain occasion his father, Elder Orson Pratt, and Elder George Q. Cannon came to a meeting in that ward and they read to us what was designated as the fourteen rules of the united order, and there were a great many truths enunciated in that document. We made solemn covenants that we would observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy, and that we would not justify our young people in going to pleasure resorts upon that day; that we would not justify them in profanity, nor in the use of any unbecoming language. We made covenants that we would not take the name of the Deity in vain nor speak lightly of His character nor of sacred things. We made solemn covenants that we would sustain one another in our material interests, and that we would utilize the means which God had placed in our hands to manufacture the articles that Were necessary for our use in the establishing of the work of God in this land. A great many other covenants were made, and we lifted up our hands in solemnity before God, Just as we have done this afternoon to sustain the Prophet of God and his associates, who have been called to be the living oracles of God unto this Church. I will read a passage or two of scripture to show the responsibility we are under, and then I will close. I wish to say to the Elders of Israel that when they are called upon to bear testimony, or preach the Gospel at home or abroad, they are forbidden to do so, except through the prayer of faith, they receive the spirit of God and preach by the power of that spirit. In speaking of those who are called upon to preach the Gospel, It says they "shall reason and expound the scriptures unto them. "And, behold, and lo, this is an ensample unto all those who were ordained unto this Priesthood whose mission is appointed unto them to go forth; "And this is the ensample unto them, that they shall speak as they are moved upon by

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the Holy Ghost, and whatsoever they should speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind or the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation." Doc. and Cov. Sec. 68. 2-4.) Young brethren and sisters, what you have heard President Snow say in regard to doing the will of the Lord, no matter what the world might say was the will of the Lord, the voice of the Lord, and will be the power of God unto salvation unto all who have the integrity of heart and the courage to obey it. And whatsoever counsel is given by the Bishops, by the Presidents of Stakes, by the presiding authorities in every department is the word and will of the Lord when they are actuated by the light and intelligence of the Holy Spirit. "Behold, you are they who are ordained of me, and ordained priests and teachers." This calling, speaking of the Twelve, "is to declare my Gospel by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, and according to the callings and gifts of God, unto men." This is the way they are to do it -- by the spirit and revelation of Almighty God. "Wherefore, lift up your voice and spare not." We are not to spare or neglect. It is the duty of the servants of God in every capacity to declare the truth and not mince it. "Wherefore, lift up your voice and spare not, for the Lord, God, hath spoken. Therefore, prophecy, and it shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost." "And again the Elders, Priests and Teachers of this Church shall teach the principles of my Gospel, which are In the Bible and in the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fulness of the Gospel; "And they shall observe the covenants and Church articles to do them and these shall be their teachings, as they shall be directed by the spirit; "And the spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith, and, if ye receive not the spirit, ye shall not teach." I might read many more verses, but this will suffice. Let us seek for the companionship of the Holy Spirit, that It may be our guide In all of our ministrations and in all our ambitions, and in applying to our conduct the excellent counsel and instructions which have been given unto us during this conference; and inasmuch as we do this the spirit of Almighty God will be with us and the spirit and peace of the Almighty will dwell in our homes. Have your family prayers every night and every morning, and let every man, woman and child attend to his or her secret prayers, that we may come near unto the Lord. Pay your tithing and the God of heaven will bless you. May peace be with you my brethren and sisters, and be taken to your homes and rest upon your children and your flocks and your herds and upon the soil which God has given us In this choice land, In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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ELDER JOHN W. TAYLOR

Before closing, I wish to bear my testimony to what has been said, and concerning this Gospel; I know that God lives, and that every man and woman can have this testimony if they will devote themselves to God and keep His commandments. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, full of inspiration, and a man that had the revelations of the Lord Jesus Christ continually delivered unto him; that the gifts and blessings that were in the ancient Church of Christ exist in the Church of Christ in our day. I wish to say to my young brethren and sisters, do not be led away by the sophistry of the world, "for straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life eternal and few there be that find it; and broad is the gate and wide is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat." If you will listen to the words of the Prophets of God, and will walk In that straight and narrow path, you can have a testimony of this Gospel. There are a few that enjoy these gifts and blessings, but it is a rare occurrence where a man can go among this people and see these gifts and blessings manifest in their midst. I feel that there is a responsibility resting upon this people. I will read a few verses, before I take my seat -- the testimony of Moroni the Prophet:" "And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. "And whatsoever thing is good, is Just and true; wherefore nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that He is. "And ye may know that He is by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you, that ye deny not the power of God; for He worketh by power according to the faith of the children of men, the same today, tomorrow and forever. "And again I exhort you my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the spirit of God unto men, to profit them. "For behold, to one is given by the spirit of God, that he may teach the word of wisdom; "And to another, that he may teach the word of knowledge by the same spirit; "And to another, exceeding great faith; and to another, the gifts of healing by the same spirit. "And again, to another, that he may work mighty miracles;

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"And again, to another that he may prophecy concerning all things; "And again, to another, the beholding of angels and ministering spirits; "And again, to another, all kinds of tongues; "And again, to another, the interpretation of languages and of divers kinds of tongues. "And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ and they come unto every man severally, according as He will. "And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ. "And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that He is the same yesterday, today and forever, and that all these gifts of which I have spoken, which are spiritual, never will be done away, even as long as the world shall stand, only according to the unbelief of the children of men. "Wherefore, there must be faith; and if there must be faith, there must also be hope; and if there must be hope, there must also be charity; "And except ye have charity, ye can in no wise be saved in the kingdom of God; neither can ye be saved in the kingdom of God, if ye have not faith; neither can ye if ye have no hope; "And if ye have no hope, ye must needs be in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity. "And Christ truly said unto our fathers, if ye have faith, ye can do all things, which is expedient unto me. "And now I speak unto all the ends of the earth, that if the day cometh that the power and gifts of God shall be done away among you, it shall be because of unbelief." I admonish the Latter-day Saints to seek for the best gifts. Although all of the sects upon the face of the earth may say that it is unnecessary to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and that it is not necessary to have hands laid upon them for the gift of the Holy Ghost, I say that the voice of the Redeemer of the world cries out unto all the nations of the earth in His testimony to Nicodemus, "Except ye he born of the water and of the spirit, ye cannot enter the kingdom of God." I testify unto you as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in His name that you will not be prepared for His coming if you do not enjoy the gifts of

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God. They are as free unto the children of men as a well of living water springing up unto everlasting life, if they will follow the admonition of Brother Kimball this afternoon to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all other things shall be added unto you." What a grand and glorious promise! Young ladies, how many of you have a gift from God? How many of you have been clothed with the fire of the Holy Ghost, that is as a fire burning within you? How many of you enjoy a knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ? How many of you young gentlemen are seeking after these things? Have you a gift from God? If you have not seek earnestly after these things, for Jesus speaking of His second coming, said that the kingdom of God would be likened unto ten virgins, five of whom were wise and five were foolish and he said but half of them would have oil in their lamps. What is that oil? It is the Holy Ghost, the power of God unto salvation; it is that spirit that will lead you into the ways of truth; it is that spirit which partaketh of the things of God and reveals them unto the children of men; it is that spirit that makes children obedient to parents. Young people, obey your parents! Parents, let us not permit that commandment of the Lord to go unheeded: "Honor thy father and thy that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." Nine-tenths of the mistakes of this people would be corrected in the young if they would listen to the counsels of their fathers and mothers. Fathers and mothers are Just as much entitled to the revelations of God for the benefit of their families, as President Snow is for the good of the Church. Young people, listen to the voice of your fathers and your mothers! They love you; you are the fruit of their loins, and they would give their lives for you. And they are entitled to the revelations of the Lord to guide you into the ways of truth. Every father and every mother if they are doing their duty, will have that inspiration they should have, and will have that knowledge, to counsel their sons and daughters to walk in that straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life, and you will not make any mistakes if you will listen to their advice. God bless you and fill you with His Holy Spirit. This is a time for preparation and not for many words. I rejoice that I am counted worthy to be in your midst at this conference, and I hope that what has been said will be as leaven, and will go forth among the people until the whole lump is leavened, and until the desire of all is to serve God and keep His commandments. I feel to say God bless you and peace be unto you, and to your wives and to your children, and to the land of Zion, and may God temper the elements for the good of this people, that Zion may grow and increase until she shall be the glory of the whole earth, is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Sister Lizzie Thomas Edward, Sister Ramsey and the choir sang, "O, Holy Jesus," and benediction was pronounced by Elder Andrew Jenson.

THIRD DAY AFTERNOON MEETING (OVERFLOW)

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Singing by the choir, the hymn commencing, Ye simple souls who stray, Fair from the path of peace, That lonely, unfrequented way To life and happiness. Prayer by Elder Heber J. Grant. The choir sang the anthem: O come all ye faithful. THE GENERAL AUTHORITIES were presented, for the vote of the conference, by President George Q. Cannon, as follows: 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 Council 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, Abraham O. Woodruff and Rudger Clawson. 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, and John Jaques 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-in-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. All of the voting was unanimous.

PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON

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Individual responsibility of the Saints -- Their aims and hopes -- Self-sacrifice a basis of exaltation To stand up before this congregation and attempt to speak with the hope of instructing them, requires, it seems to me, some faith. I do not think that any man who understands the responsibility of a position of this character would attempt to do it, unless he could hope to have the assistance of the Spirit of God. The servants of God have spoken with great plainness and a large amount of instruction has been given in this conference, and no doubt all of us feel that it is one of the best conferences we have ever attended. I think we always look upon the present conference as the best conference, and I hope we will be justified in this feeling by the spirit we shall enjoy during the remainder of the time. There are so many subjects that are intimately connected with our lives and with the growth and development of the work, that a man cannot be at a loss for something to say, if he has the Spirit of the Lord; in fact, at times the abundance of subjects makes it rather embarrassing, and it requires the dictation of the Holy Ghost to enable us to say those things that are suited to the people and their circumstances. I earnestly desire, in the remarks that I shall make, to be dictated entirely by the Spirit of the Lord. I have looked at this large assembly, and I have thought what a vast variety of thought there must be in the breasts of those present; what hopes, what desires, what fears, what anticipations each one indulges in. Life to the Latter-day Saints possesses a seriousness that I do not think other people feel, because of our knowledge concerning our existence here, why we have come here, and what lies before us. There is an individuality about the members of this Church that I do not think can be found elsewhere. We feel our individual responsibility. We are not taught to rely upon priests, or teachers, or apostles, or prophets; but each one is taught to be responsible himself. In our Church the wife is not taught to feel that she is divested of responsibility, and that it rests solely upon her husband. Sons and daughters, as soon as they are capable of comprehending the truth, are taught their responsibility also. In our Sunday schools, in our associations, and in all the gatherings of our young people, as far as my knowledge extends, this feature is kept constantly in view. Of course, they are taught to look for guidance, but not to rely upon anyone to do that which properly devolves upon them as living souls in the sight of God. They are impressed with their individual responsibility. In this respect I think we are a peculiar people, different from every other people upon the face of the earth. This makes us a serious and thoughtful people. We ponder carefully upon our lives, and we consider well our course of action. And I think this characteristic will grow among us. I hear of little children bearing testimony in the Sunday schools, and doing so by the Spirit of God; and by that they are made to feel their individual responsibility before the Lord. In my opinion, this is a good thing. I believe our future will be greatly enchanted by this kind of training, and we shall have a class of people grow up among us different from all others. It may be gradual -- so gradual that we will scarcely notice its growth; but the growth will take

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place. In connection with this, the question arises, What are the aims and the hopes of the Latter-day Saints? Why is it, it may be asked, that the "Mormon" people are willing to undergo such privations, such persecutions and such banishments as they have endured in the past, and such obloquy, hatred and animosity as they do at present? It is a serious question for the world to answer, and it possesses some gravity for us as members of the Church of Christ. What are our hopes? If I were to ask this congregation, What has caused you to leave your homes and your friends, notwithstanding their persuasions or their threats, and cast your lot among a people with such a bad name as the Latter-day Saints have? how different would be the answers in some respects, and yet how similar In other respects. The Latter-day Saints have been animated by hopes that no other people possess. Allusion was made the other day to the kind of heaven we anticipate. There are no people upon the earth who have such ambitious hopes and aims as the Latter-day Saints have. Some would call them irreverent. But the Lord has made promises to this people, and the Latter-day Saints believe in them. On that account they put their trust in the Lord, and are willing to endure all things for His sake. I will read a little from one of the revelations of the Lord. Speaking of those who receive the testimony of Jesus, and who overcome by faith the Lord says: "They are they which are the Church of the firstborn. "They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things." Now, these are not idle words, given merely to round out a sentence; but they are full of meaning. "They are they who are Priests and Kings, who have received of His fulness, and of His glory, "And are Priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchisedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son; "Wherefore, as it is written, they are Gods, even the sons of God. "Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs, and they are Christ's, and Christ is God's.'" -- Section 76: pars. 54-59. Yesterday Brother Teasdale quoted something from section 84, which I wish to emphasize. These are the words: "And also all they who receive this Priesthood, receiveth me, saith the Lord;

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"For he that receiveth my servants, receiveth me; "And he that receiveth me receiveth my Father; "And he that receiveth my Father, receiveth my Father's kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him." Notice the last clause, "All that my Father hath" -- not a part, but "all that my Father hath shall be given unto him." That language admits of no mistake. It corresponds with the other language that I have read in your hearing. It also corresponds with what the Lord says in section 93: "I give unto you these sayings that ye may understand and know how to worship; and know what you worship; that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of His fulness; "For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of His fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace." This same revelation goes on to say: "The Spirit of truth is of God. I am the Spirit of truth, and John bore record of me, saying, He receiveth a fullness of truth, yea, even of all truth, "And no man receiveth a fullness unless he keepeth his commandments. "He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things." Time will not admit of my reading any more passages, but these are sufficiently plain to reveal to us that which God has in contemplation for His faithful children. The Latter-day Saints are promised, if they are faithful, that they shall receive the fullness, as Jesus received it; and Jesus received it as the Father received it, In the words of Paul, they become heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. There is nothing that the Savior has attained unto that God's faithful children are not promised. They are promised the same blessings, the same power, the same authority, the same gifts, the same graces. I know that we are apt to think that heaven is a sort of spiritual place. It is spiritual; but God our Eternal Father is a being of power. He controls the earth and the inhabitants thereof; He controls the elements of the earth; and we are promised that we shall be sharers with Him, He will give us an equal interest in all this power and authority. What is more desirable to man, generally speaking, than to wield power? Mankind aim for it. To what lengths will ambitious men go to wield power, to sit upon thrones and to wield a sceptre of authority: History tells us that men have

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been willing to wade through seas of blood to gratify this ambition. Now, this ambition can be gratified righteously by keeping the commandments of God; and a righteous man will exercise righteous authority. That is the object God had in view in sending us here. Through faithfully keeping His commandments we may attain unto power -- not illegitimate power, but lawful power -- and wield it for our own exaltation and for the exaltation of other human beings. It is God's design to make us priests and kings; not to have an empty title, not to sit upon thrones without power, but to be actually and really priests and kings. The promise is that all things that He hath shall be given unto us. We will be His heirs; we will be (if I may use the term without irreverence) co-partners with Him in all this power and authority. I do not know whether all the Latter-day Saints grasp this idea. It is important that we should. We heard some talk this morning upon the principle of tithing. People wonder how it is that the Latter-day Saints pay their tithing. Some think it must swell the coffers of the Church and fatten the leaders. But they would not wonder if they understood the principle. Brother Brigham Young told us this morning that the law of tithing was an inferior law. It is. The law of consecration is a higher law, and it was revealed to us, but we were not prepared to receive and act upon it. The result is, we are not doing what we ought to in this respect. The Lord requires from us consecration. Why does He ask you and me to consecrate all we have and hold it subject to His will? If He is going to take us into partnership He wants to know in the first place whether we will be willing to do as He wants us and to share all that we have with Him. I was Pleased with a little incident that occurred in my own family the other day. I gave two of my little children some money, and after a while something arose that caused me to need same money, and their mother said to these children, "Your father needs some money." The children went and got their banks, and said, "Here, father, you can have all I have in this bank." I was greatly delighted with the spirit of the children. I did not say anything, but I thought to myself, "That illustrates the principles that Father in heaven is trying to teach us, His children. He gives us something, and when He asks for anything He wants us to be Just as liberal as He has been in giving it." Those who have faith and who rise to the comprehension of the dignity and exaltation that God intends to bestow upon us, will not hesitate to give everything they have to the Lord, but it requires faith. The Lord might require us to lay down our lives. That would require faith, would it not? Yes. But what is the promise? That we shall have eternal life and be exalted in His presence. Therefore, those who wish to attain to this exaltation must cherish sublimity of feeling, sublimity of self-sacrifice. They must not only be willing to pay their tithing, but be willing to give everything they have got on the earth -- wives and children, and everything else. If I cannot give up my wife and all my children, if required, if I cannot lay down my life, if necessary, God help me! I do not know what I might do, but God help me to do it if the test ever comes. But if I am not willing to do this, I cannot hope to attain to that exaltation and receive that fullness which the Lord has promised unto us, if we are faithful. Therefore, shall we hesitate about tithing? Shall we hesitate about anything else, with such objects in view and with such righteous ambition as God has implanted in our hearts? No, we cannot hesitate if we have faith. The world say: "Oh, you are led by priests, who are

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dominating you and tyrannizing over you, and using you for their own purposes." But what has God said? what has He promised to us? That is the question for us to ask. We must not look at what the world says; it is what God says that we must act upon. And I say to you this day, in the presence of God and the holy angels and of this assembly, if we expect to attain the fulfillment of the promises God has made to us, we must be self-sacrificing. There is no sacrifice that God can ask of us, or His servants whom He has chosen to lead us, that we should hesitate about making. In one sense of the word, it is no sacrifice. We may call it so, because it comes in contact with our selfishness and our unbelief; but it ought not to come in contact with our faith. The infidel says, "What a monster God was to ask Abraham to offer up his only son as a sacrifice -- to ask him to break a law which He Himself had given to man, wherein He said, Thou shalt not kill." That law was embodied in the ten commandments, but it dated back to the early days of man upon the earth. Human life was sacred; God had made it so. He had made murder the worst crime that could he committed by man against his fellow man. The curse that He pronounced upon Cain is felt by his descendants to this day, so grievous was his sin in the sight of God. But that God who gave this command to His children on earth required His servant Abraham to take his son, go into a high mountain, and there offer him up as a sacrifice. At the same time it was contrary to the law of God to offer human sacrifice. God had prohibited it. It was a grievous sin among the idolatrous nations. Abraham's own kindred indulged in that wicked practice. He tells in his record that virgins were sacrificed on altars in the land of his nativity, and he himself was bound on an altar to be sacrificed, his kindred doubtless submitting to it, but an angel of God delivered him. But here comes the command of God to this man who has been taught so scrupulously about the sinfulness of murder and human sacrifice, to do these very thinks. Now, why did the Lord ask such things of Abraham? Because, knowing what his future would be and that he would be the father of an innumerable posterity, he was determined to test him. God did not do this for His own sake; for He knew by His foreknowledge what Abraham would do; but the purpose was to impress upon Abraham a lesson, and to enable him to attain unto knowledge that he could not obtain in any other way. That is why God tries all of us. It is not for His own knowledge; for He knows all things beforehand. He knows all your lives and everything you will do. But He tries us for our own good, that we may know ourselves; for it is most important that a man should know himself. He required Abraham to submit to this trial because He intended to give him glory, exaltation and honor; He intended to make him a king and a priest, to Share with Himself the glory, power and dominion which He exercised. And was this trial any more than God Himself had passed through? God the Eternal Father gave His Only Begotten Son to die for us; and He wanted to see whether Abraham was as willing to sacrifice his son of promise as He Himself was to sacrifice His well beloved, His first born, Jesus Christ. And what of Isaac? Josephus tells us that Isaac was old enough to carry the wood for the sacrifice; and after his father had told him what the Lord wanted, Isaac, in the spirit of submission that such a son had for such a father, said to him, "If the Lord had not commanded you to do this, father, I would have been willing to have done whatever you required of me." In this Isaac exhibited a spirit akin to that manifested by the Lord Jesus; and Abraham showed a willingness akin to that exhibited by the Father in offering up His only Begotten Son for the rest of His brethren and sisters.

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Now, brethren and sisters, do you see why God requires these things at our hands? Can you comprehend why we are asked to love our neighbor as we do ourselves? Is there any sacrifice that we should, not be willing to make? Think of the unselfishness of our Lord and Savior! He came and died for all of us. He loved His neighbor as tie did himself. He loved the offspring of His Father as He did himself. We must be like Him, or we cannot sit down with Him in the kingdom of our Father. We must be willing to make every sacrifice necessary for the work of God. But in the first place we must get faith; for without faith it is impossible to please God and to make these sacrifices. Without faith our courage fails and we are filled with doubt; but with unflinching faith in God and in His willingness and power to save us, we can accomplish all the Lord requires at our hands. God bless you, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH

The aggregate of individual contributions to the Church accomplishes great good -Tithing a test of obedience -- The Lord requires the willing mind. It is with a feeling of great dependence upon the Spirit that I arise to speak. I feel extremely grateful for the outpouring of the good Spirit which has accompanied all the speaking that we have had throughout this Conference; and I regret that all the congregation did not hear the most excellent discourse of President Franklin D. Richards this morning; I remarked to him when he sat down that I thought I never heard him speak better, but I was sure that half the congregation had not heard what he had said. It is a difficult thing to make so vast an assembly hear, and especially is this the case when there is a feeling of uneasiness among the people and more or less moving about. Brother C. J. Thomas can be seen here frequently with a company of people up in the other end of the gallery, and he will rub his coat sleeve and ask them at the other end if they can hear the sound, and they say yes. Then he will take a pin and drop it upon a table, and ask if they can hear that, and they say yes. It is the wonderful acoustic properties of this house that actually makes it so difficult, in one respect, to make the people hear when there are so many together as are here today, because every little sound tends to confuse the voice of the speaker. I thank the Lord for the wonderful attendance on the part of the people during this Conference. It shows they are awake, and interested in the cause of Zion. I am sure that all the people who have heard the instructions which have been given must be well pleased and satisfied. I do not expect to advance a single thought in relation to the principle of tithing that has not already been covered, but I desire to call your attention to one thing which seems to

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me to be a prominent feature in tithepaying. It is not so much the means that we give into the storehouse of the Lord; for the Lord has plenty for Himself. The earth is His, and the fulness thereof. But it is a very important thing that we look at the necessities of the poor and consider the duty of carrying on the work of the Lord in all its branches. Every little that we contribute toward this end helps the cause Just that little; and so the little that each does is of great importance to the cause of Zion. When all the people do a little, it aggregates a great deal, and there is abundance in the storehouse for the feeding of the poor, and for helping out in the proclamation of the Gospel to the nations of the earth. For many of the Elders who are sent out to preach the Gospel have not means wherewith to provide for their families altogether, and the Church is called upon frequently to assist. Then, the Church is called upon for means to pay for the return fare of almost every missionary from his field of labor. Sometimes an Elder dies abroad, and his remains have to be brought home, the family is not able to do it, so the Church has to bear the expense. When you take into consideration the hundreds of Elders that are out in the missionary field all the time, and the fact that brethren are going and returning continuously, the expense connected with this matter amounts to a very large sum during the year. So thane every little helps. Every man's mite adds to the good cause. But there is a principle connected with tithepaying which, in my judgment, is above and beyond this, and that is the principle of obedience. I believe the Lord designs in this principle to test the obedience of the people. When we come to stand before the bar of God, to be judged out of the things which are written in the books, we may find a difference between those things which are written in the books here and the things which are written in the books there. We can see this now. Who knows whether or not I pay my tithing? Do not the books show that I am a tithepayer? Certainly, they do; for all that I pay is credited to me on the tithing books of the Church. I think our system of bookkeeping in relation to the tithes of the people is so perfect that every man Who has ever paid tithing may go to the books and find there his credit. But the books here do not pretend to keep an account of the tithing you owe to God. We do not keep an account of that which you should pay; we simply keep an account of that which you do pay. But there is One above us who knows; and there may be a system of keeping accounts there wherein it will be known Just what every man should pay to be honest with himself and the Lord. If that be so, when we come to be Judged out of the things which are written in the books, the difference between that which we have paid and that which we should have paid will appear in the books, and they will show where we have been deficient in our duty. Now, if we are not faithful to this law, what evidence have we that we shall be faithful in other things? The Lord instituted it as a substitute, because of our lack of faith, for the higher law of consecration, in which the Lord requires not only all that we have, but our hearts also; and by this substitute He designs to prove us, to see whether we will be obedient or not. I perceive in this principle something that is of greater worth to me than all the substance that I put into the storehouse of the Lord as tithing. That may be used wisely or unwisely, so far as I know. What have I to do with that? It matters not to me what is done

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with it. It is my duty to obey the law that God has given. This is exemplified in the remarkable instance referred to by President Cannon -- that of requiring Abraham to offer his son Isaac. Did God ask him to do this because he delighted in wringing the heart of His servant and causing him anguish? Not at all. The Lord has no delight in that. But He wanted to put His servant to the test, to know whether he was willing to sacrifice himself or not in obedience to the requirement of heaven. That is what God wants in relation to this principle of tithing; He wants to know whether we will do our duty or not, and whether we will be honest or dishonest with Him. Every man is left to be his own judge as to what he calls his tithing, and there is a great variety of opinion as to what a tithing is. A man who works for wages, and devotes his whole time to the service of his employer, and he receives $1,000 or $2,000 a year for his salary, it is an easy matter for him to tell how much he owes for tithing. If I earned $2,000 a year, I should know that my tithing was just one-tenth of that. And I would not take out what it had cost me to feed and clothe myself and to pay all the expenses necessary to the maintenance of my family, before I reckoned with the Lord as to what belonged to Him. Two hundred dollars would be my honest tithing, would it not? That is the way I look at it. Then, if a farmer raises 2,000 bushels of wheat as the result of his year's labor, how many bushels should he pay for tithing? Well, some people will go straightway to dickering with the Lord. They will say they hired a man so and so, and his wages must be taken out; that they had to pay such and such expenses, and this cost and that cost; and they reckon out all their expenses, and tithe the balance. If a man earns $1,000, and it has cost him $600 to live, he pays tithing on the remaining $400. He considers that his net income, and he reckons with the Lord on that basis. Well, a great many of the Latter-day Saints reckon with God in Just that way. Now, you are at liberty to do as you please in regard to this matter. You can choose which ever course you wish. But let me say to you that as we measure out so will it he measured back unto us again. When we go to dickering with the Lord, probably He will dicker with us; and if He undertakes to do so, we shall get the worst of it. I think we had better be honest with the Lord, and deal Justly and liberally with Him; for, as it is said in the scriptures, the liberal man deviseth liberal things, and by his liberality shall he stand. My experience in my childhood was that when the widow paid one-tenth of every bushel of potatoes, of wheat, of oats, of barley; when she paid the tenth chicken, or egg, the tenth calf, the tenth colt, the tenth pound of beef, or pork -- when she did this she was blessed, and I know it. God opened up her way, and multiplied blessings upon her; and though a widow, driven irate the wilderness with a large family, and without means to take care of them, she never had to ask for or receive help from the Church to feed and clothe her or her children. The Lord provided for her, because she put her trust in Him and she was obedient to His law. I am a witness to that. And the Lord will provide for other widows in the same way. He will provide for all His people according as they put their trust in Him and are faithful and obedient. "Obedience is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." It is the heart and the willing mind that the Lord requires of His people, and not so much their substance. He does not need our obedience. But we need to be obedient; for it is through obedience that we will receive the reward.

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So I come to the conclusion that the principal thing about tithe paying is obedience to the law, and that more good will come to us through that obedience than to anybody else. We may be worth our tens of thousands, and pay an honest tithing on our income, making our tithing a large amount; yet the good that will come to ourselves by being obedient to the law of God will be far greater in the end than the good which our substance may do to the poor. He is more blessed who giveth alms than is he who receiveth them. The trouble is, when a man becomes rich he at once begins to feel too poor to be obedient to the laws of God. Riches make men poor when it comes to dealing with the Almighty. The poor man can easily pay his tithing and contribute of his little substance for the benefit of the needy; but if he becomes a millionaire, or anything like it, then his heart begins to narrow up. The result is, he deprives himself of the opportunity of receiving greater manifestations of the kindness and mercy of God unto him, which he could receive through the increased amount of good he could do with his enlarged means. Obedience is what the Almighty requires. It was obedience that He required of Abraham. I am speaking now of obedience to God, and not to man; and I am at the defiance of any man to prove that obedience to God, even in the paying of tithing, is not better than disobedience -- better to the man himself, and better to the whole people. If a man is obedient to this law of tithing, he is entitled to the blessing of God himself and, so far as he is concerned. there are means in the storehouse of the Lord for the feeding of the poor, for the sending of the Gospel abroad, for the building of temples, and for the accomplishment of His purposes; but if he is not obedient to this law, then there is nothing there, and he himself is deprived of the blessing that the Lord would otherwise give to him. I do not believe in obeying man, only when my Judgment or the inspiration of the Almighty tells me that obedience to that man will be wise and good. In other words, I am not a believer in blind obedience. I think those who know me can bear record to my testimony that I never yet obeyed any man, nor have I to my knowledge obeyed God, blindly. What I have done I have done with my eyes open. I have done it willingly, because I have believed or have known it to be good. That is why I obey the counsels of the servants of God, and why I obey His law. I know it is pleasing in the sight of the Lord for me to do this, and I receive benefit thereby. Nowadays, if President Snow of somebody else gives counsel to some of our brethren, if it does not suit them exactly they will begin to whine about it, and shed great crocodile tears, perhaps. I have heard of men shedding tears because they had received counsel from their brethren! And what is more, the men that shed tears and mourn over having received a little counsel, are the kind that do not carry it out; or, if they do, they tell why they did it -making somebody else responsible for their acts. I say, out upon such obedience as that! I do not believe in that kind at all. I know that obedience to the Lord is a good thing. I know this also, that if Jesus Christ, the Son of God, had not been absolutely obedient to the requirements of His Father, He would have ceased to be the Savior of the world, for He could not have accomplished the mission He came to fulfill. If Abraham had not been obedient, even to the sacrificing of his

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own son, he would not be today the father of the faithful, and the promise made to him that his seed should have no end would have been revoked. The same with regard to Job, who was tried to the core. It was said, "put forth thy hand now and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face." But the Lord knew he would not, and he said to Satan, "Behold, he is in thy hand; but save his life." Satan laid his hand upon his property, upon his sons and his daughters, and upon his own body, and Job was brought down into the dust because of the afflictions that fell upon him; and yet he was true to God! It was his love of God, his faith in the promises of the Almighty and his obedience to his Father that made him the example of the world. His name has come down and will go down to the end of time as an example to mankind of faith in God. When upbraided and told to curse God and die, Job turned and said, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." Joseph the prophet was tried to the core, and he proved true unto death. So with others of his brethren; they were persecuted, they were hounded, they were maligned, and every species of ignominy heaped upon them, and finally they were put to death in cold blood; and yet they were true unto death. That is what God requires at our hands. He said, "I will try you even unto death, to see if you are worthy of the blessings I have in store for you." If you shrink from obedience to God, by which you become heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ -- as President Cannon said, "partners with Him in all that He Possesses" -- how can you expect to obtain eternal life and to become a partner with Him? If we are not true to these things, we are not worthy of them. May God bless us, therefore, and help us to be worthy of all that has been promised unto us through the keys and authority of the holy priesthood, that we may come up in the morning of the resurrection entitled to all the blessings that have been sealed upon us. This is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen. The choir and congregation sang: Our God, we raise to Thee Thanks for Thy blessings free, We here enjoy; In this far distant land, A true and faithful band Led hither by Thy hand, Would sing for joy. Benediction by President Lorenzo Snow. Conference adjourned for six months. The stenographic work in taking the account of the proceedings was done by Arthur Winter and E. H. Holt. JOHN NICHOLSON, Clerk of Conference.

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DESERET SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION

Its Semi-Annual General Conference The semi-annual conference of the Sunday schools of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was held on Sunday evening, April 9th, 1899, at 7 o'clock. There were present the general superintendency, officers and members of the Deseret Sunday School Union Board and aids, a number of Apostles, presidents of Stakes and Bishops, and the Tabernacle was well filled with Sunday school workers. General Superintendent George Q. Cannon presided. The Tabernacle choir, under direction of Prof, Evan Stephens, sang "Lord Thou wilt hear me when I pray." Prayer was offered by Elder John M. Mills. The choir sang "Come, dearest Lord." Secretary George D. Pyper called the roll which was responded to by representatives from twenty-seven Stakes. The secretary also read a portion of the general annual statistical report of the Sunday schools of the Latter-day Saints for 1898 showing: Total number of Sunday schools, 1,019; male officers and teachers, 7,524; female officers and teachers, 5,524; total officers and teachers, 13,048; average attendance of officers and teachers, 8,472; male pupils, 50,862; females, 52,524; total number of pupils, 103,386; Sunday school missionaries not enrolled, 269; total officers, teachers, pupils and missionaries, 116,703; cash on hand and collected during the year, $17,264.33; disbursed, 13,278.12; on hand, $3,986.21. The report was approved and filed. General Superintendent George Q. Cannon said: "I feel very much gratified at this report, as I think you all do. We have now, as you have heard, 103,000 pupils; this is a very fine showing; gone past the hundred thousand mark, and that has been gained during the last year." The secretary then presented the general Sunday school authorities, who were unanimously sustained as follows: General Superintendent George Q. Cannon; second assistant general superintendent, Karl G. Maeser; general secretary, George D. Pyper; general treasurer, George Reynolds; stenographer, Leo Hunsaker. Members of Deseret Sunday School Union Board: George Q. Cannon, Karl G.

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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 Kimball, Joseph F. Smith, John W. Taylor. Aids to the General Board: L. John Nuttall, James W. Ure, John F. Bennett, John M. Mills, William B. Dougall William D. Owen, Seymour B. Young, Christian D. Fjeldsted. General Treasurer George Reynolds reported that he had received from nickel donations for 1898, the sum of $3,111.62, an increase of nearly eight per cent over 1897. Elder Reynolds presented the Conference assignments for 1899 as follows: Saturday and Sunday, April 29 and 30 -- Sanpete. Saturday and Sunday, May 6th and 7th -- St. George. Saturday and Sunday, May 13th and 14th -- Parowan. Saturday and Sunday, May 20th and 21st -- Malad. Saturday and Sunday, May 27th and 28th -- Juab. Saturday and Sunday, June 10th and 11th -- Utah. Saturday and Sunday, June 17th and 18th -- Wasatch. Sunday and Monday, June 18th and 19th -- Oneida. Saturday and Sunday, June 24th and 25th -- Bear Lake and Millard. Saturday and Sunday, July 1st and 2nd -- Wayne. Saturday and Sunday, July 8th and 9th -- Sevier and Bannock. Saturday and Sunday, July 15th and 16th -- Morgan and Star Valley. Saturday and Sunday, July 22nd and 23rd -- Bingham and Boxelder. Saturday and Sunday, July 29th and 30th -- Fremont. Saturday and Sunday, August 5th anal 6th -- Alberta. Saturday and Sunday, August 12th and 13th -- Cassia and Woodruff. Saturday and Sunday, August 19th and 20th -- Cache and San Juan. Saturday and Sunday, August 26th and 27th -- Tooele. Saturday and Sunday, September 2nd and 3rd -- Beaver. Saturday and Sunday, September 9th and 10th -- Summit and Kanab. Saturday and Sunday, September 16th and 17th -- Panguitch. Saturday and Sunday, September 23rd and 24th -- Weber and Pocatello. Treasurer Reynolds also announced that the third edition of the small Sunday school hymn book was now ready, making in all 55,000 copies of this work which had been issued from the press. This edition contained a few new hymns and a greatly improved index. Another edition of the Sunday school song book, in two styles of binding, retailed respectively at 40 and 50 cents was also ready. Numerous improvements to make it more uniform with the Hymn book had been introduced in this edition. The proceedings of the late Sunday school convention held in this city were now on sale. Nearly 4,000 had been distributed gratuitously to the schools, and teachers and others desiring additional copies

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could purchase them at the office of the Union Board at 10 cents per copy. The second edition of the Treatise was also realty for those officers and teachers Who did not possess a copy. Price 15 cents. Some few years ago Dr. James E. Talmage delivered a series of lectures in the Assembly Hall in this city before the Theological class of the Church university on the "Articles of Faith." Under the direction of the First Presidency, these lectures had now been published in book form, after having been examined by the Presidency and by a committee appointed by them. This work is recommended to the Sunday schools and other Church organizations as a valuable text book on questions relating to the faith of the Saints. The choir sang "Jesus, I my cross have taken."

GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON

Spoke feelingly on the death of First Assistant General Superintendent George Goddard, and paid a glowing tribute to the memory of this Sunday school veteran. Following are the remarks: I feel constrained to make a few remarks at the opening of our meeting in relation to our late assistant superintendent and warm friend, Elder George Goddard. I know you will all miss him, as we do who were his co-laborers. His voice, his genial presence, his humorous manner of treating all questions, and the interest that he succeeded in throwing into everything connected with the Sunday School work, will be missed in all these meetings. We look around us and ask ourselves: Who can fill his place? He was unique, warm-hearted and thoroughly in earnest in all that he did for the Sunday school cause. It was dearer to him than his own comfort or convenience. He did an amount of travel that I felt was too much for one of his years; but he was untiring in his labors and took delight in them, and he was sustained by the Lord, for the Lord bestowed blessings upon him and maple him the means of doing an immense amount of good. It would be difficult to calculate upon the amount of good that our departed friend and brother has performed in this cause. He will be known and remembered by the rising generation to an extent, probably, unequaled by any other man, because his manners were such as endeared him to all children. They felt he was their friend; they admired and revered him, as well as the parents and all those associated with him. I am sure that you will feel with me that we have had what might be termed in one respect an irreparable loss. It is true that it is a saying among us that there is no mall living but what can be spared; and the work goes on after his departure -- even after the departure of the most prominent of men. But probably Elder Goddard filled a niche in our affections and work -- our Sunday school work -- that we shall find it very difficult to fill. But the Lord, of course, we know can raise up faithful laborers. Brother Goddard's example in his efforts and untiring zeal, will, I hope, be followed by all interested in this work, and I hope

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we will try with greater diligence to carry it forward and to do the work that he would do if he were here in our midst. I felt to say these few words and I know that in giving expression to these thoughts and feelings, though but feebly, I am also expressing the thoughts and feelings of your hearts. We all mourn his departure. Of course, his departure is for his gain, but it is a serious loss to us. I pray God that the spirit that he manifested in this work may rest down upon us all to an increased extent, that through our devotion and zeal we may, in some measure, make up for this loss. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

APOSTLE HEBER J. GRANT

I have been requested to speak upon the late Sunday school convention held last November in the Assembly Hall. The convention was held on Monday and Tuesday and there were three session~ each day. It was remarkably well attended, there being but one Stake of Zion that failed to send delegates. I never attended a series of rootings in my life where the people seemed to be so interested as in those held during the Sunday school convention. The spirit of the meetings was choice indeed. The people were particularly interested; their faces were lit up with interest, and we had a very enjoyable time, long to be remembered by each and every one present. Brother Reynolds has referred to the fact that the proceedings of the convention have been published in pamphlet form which contains over one hundred pages. The Sunday School Union has the pamphlet for sale, and it can also be found at the Juvenile Instructor office. Of course, you are all well aware of the fact that in reading the proceedings of a convention that you lose much of the inspiration manifested at the meetings; but, at the same time, each and every Sunday school worker and all those interested in the Sunday school work, will be greatly benefited by getting a copy of the proceedings of the convention and perusing it. Very many important items on Sunday school work are contained therein: How to hold Stake conferences, the proper manner of using the Leaflets, discourses on the Word of Wisdom, and many other matters of great interest to all connected with the Sabbath schools. I rejoice that we should have had such a grand and glorious convention with which to crown the public labor of our late Assistant Superintendent Brother George Goddard. He enjoyed those meetings exceedingly. I wish to say in addition to the pleasure we had of listening to the instructions, that the music that was furnished us during those meetings was very pleasing indeed. A half hour was taken up at the commencement of each meeting in singing songs that are rendered in the Sabbath schools throughout the Church.

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I trust that we may again have the privilege of meeting in a convention. I feel, on account of the success of the one we did have, that we may be justified in having another in the course of a year or so, and I am sure that it will be even more successful than the one we had last November. I thank God, my Heavenly Father, for the privilege of being associated with the Sabbath school work, and I am also truly grateful for the increase of over 7,000 pupils since last year's report. It will only be a short time before we will be able to add 10,000 to our Sunday schools every year. Truly Zion is growing. May God bless you and every one laboring for the Sabbath schools, is my prayer, and I ask it in the name of Jesus. Amen.

ELDER THOMAS C. GRIGGS

This immense audience interested in Sunday school work, and the interesting statistics that have been presented to us an the growth of this Sunday school work are largely the result of an event that occurred nearly fifty years ago, viz: The establishment of the first Sunday school in these Rocky Mountains, which event transpired in the Fourteenth ward of this city, on the second Sunday in December, the 9th day of the month, 1849, by Richard Ballantyne. It is proposed by the Deseret Sunday School Union to celebrate that event. So far the proposition is to have a general celebration on Sunday evening the 8th day of October, in this place. We trust that all the veteran Sunday school workers, those that have been connected with the Sunday school for 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 years, will be present. In addition to this it is proposed that local celebrations be held in each Sunday school on the second Sunday in December, this year, the 10th day of the month. A suggestive program for the celebration will be published hereafter. Besides this is our record work. Blanks have been sent to every Sunday school for a synopsis of their respective histories and the names of those that have presided in the various schools. For this purpose three blanks have been sent to each Sunday school to be filled out; one of these is to be retained by the school, one to be sent to the Stake superintendency and one to be sent to the general secretary, Brother George D. Pyper. Another matter pertaining to this is the appointment of a special committee, by each Stake superintendency, to act in conjunction with the general committee on the Semi-centennial celebration. The name and address of the chairman of this special committee should be sent to the general secretary that communication may be had with him. This labor of preparing these individual histories is one that will require patience and perseverance to accomplish. This work is immediately before us, as superintendents of schools and Stake superintendents. We trust this matter will be given immediate attention, as it is intended that these reports shall be bound into one volume. We have now, as our statistics show, over 1,000 Sunday schools. The preparation of this history will afford the basis for the celebration of the centennial anniversary; also for the millennial anniversary, which we expect to see in its time.

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Elder George D. Pyper sang, "Hosanna."

APOSTLE GEORGE TEASDALE

From the Doctrine and Covenants, section 68, page 250, beginning with the 25th verse, we have the following instruction: "And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her Stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents; "For this shall be a law unto the inhabitants of Zion, or in any of her Stakes which are organized; "And their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands; "And they shall also teach their children to pray and to walk uprightly before the Lord." It is very much to be regretted that children should frequently be in the Sabbath school after they are eight years of age without being baptized. Now, children have rights as well as the rest of humanity. The Lord has given instruction unless the parents prepare them for this baptism that the parents will be under condemnation. In Sunday schools where they are very strict they will not allow unbaptized children over eight years old to partake of the Sacrament. It would be in harmony with the commandments of the Lord to have the parents taught this duty towards their children at their firesides by our Teachers -- not the teachers of the Sabbath school, but the regular ward Teachers. Every child who desires it has a right to be baptized when eight years of age. It is singular to me that fathers do not take sufficient interest in their children to get permission of the Bishop to have their children baptized on their eighth birthday. Many children have looked forward to this event with a great deal of anxiety, and then when the time came they were pushed aside with the remark, "O, well, there are no baptisms today, and you can be baptized on some other occasion." The Lord says His house is a house of order. So it is perfectly natural and perfectly consistent that the Lord should require at the hands of the parents that the children should be prepared for baptism by the time they are eight years of age. Somebody can always be found who holds the Priesthood of Aaron or of Melchisedek,

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who will very willingly put himself out a little to baptize the children, that they may have that blessed privilege. I know of an instance where a child was very anxious for baptism, but it was put off and put off and by and by the child died without being baptized. Well, I argue that these dear children should have this privilege. You know we love your children; you know we devote a great deal of time to them. I would advise you, my fellow laborers in the Sunday school, to make this one of your items and see that your children are baptized when the proper time arrives. As you are their friends and instructors, put yourselves out a little to see that this is done, that those dear children may have the privilege of being baptized; that they may be enabled to give the reasons why they are baptized, and of the conditions of baptism. When teaching a Sabbath school class in Nephi -- mine was the primary class -- we used to sing them the song, "Jesus, Mighty King in Zion," and explain it to them as we went along. And we explained the different modes of baptism so that they might understand that there are a class of people who baptize by pouring, and another class who baptize by sprinkling; one saying for justification the Lord would pour out an oblation, and the other saying that He would sprinkle many nations. Let us instruct our children, that we may assist the parent in preparing them for this baptism. I consider that this is a part of our duty. Let us respect the children, and let us see that they have their rights. I remember a child of mine whom I baptized here in the font in Salt Lake City. I had him upon a visit from Nephi. With Elder Charles J. Thomas, who kindly assisted me, I baptized him when he was eight years of age and confirmed him, and then I took him to have his likeness taken, that he might never forget it. That was the interest I took in him. In Mexico, when I baptized a little maid of my own on her eighth birthday, I gave it, out that I would baptize her on that day, and if there were any children who had been neglected we would attend to them at the same time. We baptized her and several others. I have been particular with my children that this should be done on their natal day. I think of times we are very careless in our records; it is occasionally difficult to find out when people have been baptized. If you will baptize a child the day it is eight years of age the date will always be remembered. It Seems to me that a father would delight to do this, and keep his own record and act as the patriarch in his own house. All you have to do is to get the consent of your Bishop and have a proper record made of it. My beloved fellow laborers. God bless you. Let us always remember that the children have the right to be baptized when eight years of age. I am grateful for having the privilege of being a Sabbath school laborer. I have been so for a number of years, and I delight to be associated with our Sunday school children. I pray God, our eternal Father, that His blessings may rest upon every Sabbath school laborer, that we may be able to set a good example and teach the children to their understanding, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

APOSTLE FRANCIS M. LYMAN

In answer to the question of Brother Bickley, from Beaver, whether children should be

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allowed to partake of the Sacrament after they are eight years of age and are not baptized: Of course, the law should be observed, and, in order that this question need not be asked in regard to the children of the Latter-day Saints, we would advise that the Bishops, who have the baptisms under their care, see to it that arrangements are made in every ward that the children may be baptized when they are eight years of age. We have been lenient in this regard -- that is, the rule of the Church has been -- and the children have been allowed to partake of the Sacrament after they were eight years of age in order that they might not feel injured and their hearts hurt. But, the Bishops should make the arrangements in their respective wards that on any day in the year, cold or warm, the children may be baptized when eight years of age. It is a splendid thing to do; it is a nice arrangement and ought to be observed in all the Church. But until this is done -- when children are anxious and want to be baptized and it is not their fault that they have not been -- we ought not to be too stringent in refusing the Sacrament to the children of the Latter-day Saints. They would like to be baptized and they ought to be. If they are not baptized at the proper time, the sin be upon the head of the Bishop.

SECOND ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT KARL G. MAESER

The subject given me to speak upon for a few minutes is "Humane Day." It has been customary for the Sunday School Union to have a day set apart during the year on which the Sunday school teacher should pay particular attention to kindness to animals. This day has usually been the last Sunday in February, but the Sunday School Union Board, perhaps, may fix some other day, if so, it will be made public. Kindness to animals has also been enjoined upon us by Holy Writ, for "A righteous man is merciful to his animals." Now, there is too much neglect on this point observable among our people. A letter was received by the Sunday School Union Board, some time ago, from a sister up north, requesting that the brethren take this into consideration and enjoin upon the Sunday school workers the duty of impressing upon the minds of the pupils the necessity of being kind to animals and abstaining from any kind of cruelty. She also alluded to the bad example being set by some in the winter of leaving their animals out in the storm, snow and cold, without any covering or without any regard to their suffering. These dumb beasts were neglected during the stormy weather and received bad treatment at the hands of their masters. That brings to my mind an instance of several years ago, when Heber C. Kimball was with us. He was going down State street with some of the brethren and they saw a man abusing a horse most unmercifully. As intelligent and well posted as these brethren were with regard to handling animals, they could not find out what was really wanted of the animal. The man was beating it unmercifully. Brother Kimball turned to these brethren and said, "brethren, that horse will demand justice of that man some time and will get it. He is making himself a debtor to that animal." There is a sound, glorious principle connected with this. Could I as an intelligent

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being, place myself in such a position that I would become a debtor to an animal, and place myself under such a condition that that animal could claim justice from me on account of ill-treatment? We may have to slay animals for food and other legitimate reasons, when it is absolutely necessary; but when it is done it should be done with as little pain to the animal as possible. Let us be merciful, as the Scriptures say "A righteous man is merciful to animals." This is a principle we should make a point of in all our Sunday schools. We should enjoin it upon the pupils, not simply one single day in the year, which is set apart for this. I would rather see it urged whenever occasion requires, whenever any one in the Sunday school has been cruel to animals in any way. I know it is displeasing in the sight of the Lord. This should be taught to the children in the Sabbath schools, that the children of the Latter-day Saints may be known for their kindness to animals. I suppose the Sunday School Union Board will take this matter into consideration some day and make known the day that will be most convenient and proper to be set apart for that purpose.

ELDER SEYMOUR B. YOUNG

TREE PLANTING AND FORESTRY
"The groves were God's first temples." In one of these temples Joseph Smith sought the Lord in prayer and received a visit from the Father and the Son, and a high commission from them, which called him to his prophetic ministry -- the Prophet, Seer and Revelator of the dispensation of the fulness of times. Shady groves have always been considered as a fit and sacred place of holding communion with the Creator of the universe, as well as for other noble purposes. Instance: The old elm tree that stands in the town of Cambridge today, said to be more than 300 years old. Beneath this tree Washington received the command of the Continental Army, in 1775. The subject of planting trees cannot be too deeply impressed upon our young people, and at the approach of every Arbor Day, all the Sunday school children should be encouraged to assist in planting one or more trees around their homes, in gardens or fields and other proper places designated by their teachers and their parents. Cultivation of forests and of the better class of timber has always been a profitable labor and investment to those who enter upon this branch of farming, with a proper understanding, and with perseverance and industry continued their efforts. Some places in Europe, especially in Germany, the small forests are made to yield a large income, supporting very many families by the yield of wood and lumber and the gums that exude from spruce and balsams. Nut-bearing trees are of much importance to the farmers of this country and could be made a source of great profit to all those who would plant a few of these species of forest trees, among the best and most profitable of which is the black walnut. Large farms can be bordered with these trees, and as they grow for ten or twelve years, the nuts produced by

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them will aid very materially in paying the expenses of the farm and its cultivation. When they become too large and crowd each other in the rows, good sale can be made of them to cabinet makers and furniture producers. Speaking of trees, I am reminded of a very beautiful story: A traveler returning to his native home after years of absence, saw a man in the act of cutting down a large oak tree, under whose pleasant shade he had played when a boy. He paid the man quite a sum of money to allow the tree to remain standing, and he wrote the following beautiful lines on the subject: "Woodman, spare the tree; Cut not one single bough; In youth it sheltered me, And I'll protect it now. 'Twas my forefather's hand That placed it near his cot, There woodman let it stand; Thy ax shall harm it not."

GEN. SUPT. GEORGE Q. CANNON

Made the closing address as follows: There are only a few minutes left, and I do not wish to occupy but those few minutes. There are some questions that have been submitted to us, that is, to the Sunday School Union Board, which it is thought proper to answer. One is, Who shall preside in the Sunday school when all the superintendency are absent? There should be no question about this: if they are all going to be absent they should arrange for somebody to take charge in their absence, either the teacher who has charge of the Theological class or some other suitable teacher, that the school may not be left without a proper person to take charge. As to the appointment of Sunday school missionaries, superintendents and officers, all this should be done by consent of the Bishop or with his approval. The question has been, asked: Shall the superintendent appoint such officers or shall the Bishop appoint? There should be no conflict with regard to this. There should be perfect harmony between the president of the Stake and the superintendent of the Sunday schools -- the Stake

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superintendent -- and both should work together. Of course, it is understood, however, that a superintendent of a Stake has no right to act without the Bishop. The Bishop presides in his ward; the president of the Stake presides in his Stake, and all officers under either of these organizations are subject to them. Therefore, a superintendent should consult with the Bishop or with the president of the Stake; however, a Bishop or Stake president will not appoint without consulting with the superintendent. He will pay respect to the officer that has charge of the Sunday school and will not act, if he is a prudent, wise Bishop, without consulting with that officer. There are other topics to speak upon, but I cannot take time to dwell upon them. There is one subject, I think, however, that should be taught in our Sunday schools more than it is, and that is courtesy. There is a rudeness about our children that ought to be corrected. There is not respect paid by boys to girls, by young men to women, and there is manifest in our streets very frequently a want of respect to the weaker sex and to aged people, upon which, I think, very profitable lessons may be given to our children. You will notice it during muddy weather. I have seen it many times -- a person driving a team and a lady crossing the street-our streets have been seas of mud at times -- he drives along and splashes mud over a lady on the street and then laughs at it, as though he had done something smart. Now you will see much discourtesy and rudeness of this kind. We see it constantly; and yet, the boys and men that are guilty of this are not so inclined naturally, but it is for want of proper training, and they ought to be trained. We can train them in the Sunday school. This rudeness will be seen there and at other gatherings. It can be seen at times when children are going out of a car or going out of a door, the strong boys will push forward and crowd the girls and little ones that are weaker than they are, and rush out regardless of the comfort or, indeed, of the safety of the smaller children and girls. Brethren and sisters, it is a good place in our Sunday schools to teach lessons of politeness and kindness -- to teach our boys to be kind and gentlemanly and to teach our girls to be ladylike. Let us try and raise up a generation of gentlemen and ladles. A man raised as a Latter-day Saint is naturally, if he lives his religion, a gentleman, and the girl or woman raised as a Latter-day Saints is naturally a lady, but they do not know how, sometimes, to behave themselves, and they ought to be taught: This rudeness in crossing the streets and splashing mud, no doubt many of you have noticed. I pray God to bless us sad to help us to remember the instructions we have received this evening, which I ask in the name of the Lord. Amen. The choir sang, "Glory to God in the Highest." Adjourned. Benediction.

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GEO. D. PYPER, Secretary.

Seventieth Semi-Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

October 1899
FIRST DAY MORNING MEETING
The Seventieth Semi-annual conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints convened in the Tabernacle, today, Friday, October 6, 1899, President Lorenzo Snow presiding. Of the general authorities present there were, of the First Presidency: Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith; of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles -- Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, Marriner W. Merrill, Anthon H. Lund, Matthias F. Cowley, Abraham Owen Woodruff and Rudger Clawson; Patriarch John Smith; of the First Seven Presidents of Seventies-Seymour B. Young, C. D. Fjelsted, George Reynolds, Jonathan G. Kimball, Rulon S. Wells and Joseph W. McMurrin; of the Presiding Bishopric, William B. Preston, Robert T. Burton and John R. Winder. Conference was called to order by the President. The choir and congregation sang the hymn which begins: Come, 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. The opening prayer was offered by Elder John Nicholson. The choir and congregation sang the hymn: Our God, we raise to Thee Thanks for Thy blessings free We here enjoy;

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In this far western land, A true and chosen band, Led hither by Thy hand, Would sing for joy.

PRESIDENT LORENZO SNOW

I wish to say a few words at the opening of our conference this morning. I feel myself, and I hope every Latter-day Saint does, very grateful for this beautiful morning and the prospect of good weather while we are convened. I trust that every Latter-day Saint will exercise faith that this beautiful weather may continue during conference. Many people that are here this morning and who will be here during our whole proceedings, have come from a long distance, and some have perhaps made what may be called sacrifices in order to come. I want to say to everyone that it is our privilege to be blessed to such an extent that we will feel perfectly repaid for all the inconvenience that may have resulted to us in coming to this gathering. As Latter-day Saints the Lord has placed us in relation with himself, and in order to carry out the condition that we are in we need His blessing above any other class of people. Our prospects are sufficiently grand and glorious to cause us to put forth every exertion that we possibly can, in order to secure the blessings that are before us. Nothing should deter us from the exercise of every power that God has bestowed upon us, to make our salvation and exaltation sure. All men and women who are worthy to be called Latter-day Saints should live hour by hour in such a way that if they should be called suddenly from this life into the next they would be prepared. The preparation should be such that we should not fear to be called away suddenly into the spirit life. It is our privilege to so live as to have the spirit of light and intelligence to that extent that we shall feel satisfied that all will be well if we should be called away at any hour. If we look back at our experience since we received the Gospel, we can see and know that the Lord has blessed us abundantly. If we have been faithful, as we should have been, or if we have not been so faithful as we should have been, but now feel to do right, we have assurances, from our past experience, that everything will be well with us in the future as we tread the path of exaltation and glory, walking in the light of the truth and carefully observing everything that is required of us. If there should be any Latter-day Saints within the sound of my voice that have not reached this assurance in regard to their future, they should not rest satisfied until they have secured it, so that they may know that everything is right with them. What I want of the Latter-day Saints is that during this conference, as the Elders shall

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arise to address us, our faith and our prayers may be exercised for each one who speaks, that he may say such things, and that we may have the spirit to receive such things as shall be beneficial to all. This is our privilege and our duty. We have not come here accidentally; we have come in this conference expecting to receive something that will be advantageous to us. The Latter-day Saints most assuredly need to receive good things. Of ourselves we can do nothing. As Jesus said: "Verily, verily I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do; for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." He came into this life to do the will of his Father, and not his own will. Our desire and determination should be the same. When things come up that require an exertion on our part, we should bring our wills into subjection to the will of the Father, and feel to say, what is the will of our Father, whom we are here in the world to serve? Then every act that we perform will be a success. We may not see its success today or tomorrow, nevertheless it will result in success. We have received principles of truth, but not in blindness. We do not walk in blindness, but we walk in the light of truth. We know what we are about and what will be the result of our faithfulness. But we should be wise and prudent; we should learn to govern ourselves, to control our passions, and to bring all our faculties and powers into perfect obedience to the mind and will of God, so that these bodies, which God has given to us, may be governed and controlled in all respects as He would wish. The Latter-day Saints, by being wise and prudent, can make this life a tolerably happy one. We need not live in misery; we need not feel that we are sacrificing all the time, but that what we call sacrifices prove a blessing to us, which we would not receive were it not for this experience. Everything that transpires affecting us individually may be made a blessing, and will be a blessing to us if we act wisely and prudently. We are not here to fight anybody; we are not here to contend with anybody. We are here to move slowly along, perform the duties that are required at our hands, mind our own business, and let others mind their business or not as they see proper. In this way we shall progress and gain an experience that will be useful to us, not only in this life, but in the life to come. God bless you, brethren and sisters. May we walk in obedience to the commandments of God continually, and if we do I will assure you that we will receive blessings far greater than we ever anticipated. God bless you, Amen.

ELDER RUDGER CLAWSON

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A Lesson to be Drawn from the Career of King Saul -- The Obligation of Obedience to God -- The Law of Tithing. Brethren and sisters: In taking up the Bible this morning, I was very much impressed with certain words that I read therein which touched upon the principle of obedience. President Snow this morning has dwelt somewhat upon this principle. I have many times thought and still think it is one of the cardinal principles of the Gospel. We read in the 9th chapter of I Samuel that God designed to make a king over Israel. He chose a young man by the name of Saul, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite. It is said that he was a choice young man, and there was not among the Children of Israel a goodlier person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. It seems that the father of Saul had lost his mules, and he sent his son Saul in search of them. As he went forth he met the Prophet Samuel, who had been made acquainted with the fact that God had selected this young man to be king over Israel. Samuel called him in and anointed him to be king. But let me tell you, brethren and sisters, that it was not sufficient that this young man should be a choice young man, of fine appearance and taller by head and shoulders than any others in the House of Israel, but in order that he might he the king and a servant of God, a change must come over him. Man can serve man by the spirit of man, but in order to be a servant of God we must have the spirit of God. So it proved to be in this instance, for Samuel instructed Saul that in returning to his parents he would come up with a company of prophets, and that he should join the prophets, and that the spirit of the Lord would come upon him. Samuel further said to him: "And thou shalt prophecy with them, and shall be turned into another man. "7. And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee, for God is with thee. "8. And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings; seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do." Now mark what follows: "And it was so that when he turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day." We can see, brethren and sisters, how this man was favored of God, not only in being called to be king and in presiding over something like three hundred thousand people (for they were numbered in those days, and that was said to be the number) but also that he should receive of the Lord another heart and be changed into a new man. Notwithstanding this, however, there was a flaw in the character of Saul that proved in the end his ruin.

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You will remember that Saul was instructed to go down to Gilgal and to remain there seven days, when the prophet would meet him there, and together they should offer burnt offerings and a sacrifice to the Lord, and upon that occasion also the prophet was to tell him what the Lord required. Saul went down to the place appointed, and he waited there for the prophet, but the prophet did not come exactly as the king expected. He may possibly have delayed his coming. At any rate, the king became nervous, for there was some disturbance among the people and the Philistines were about to come against them in battle. So, instead of waiting for the prophet, Saul undertook, of his own authority, to offer up burnt offering and sacrifice, contrary to the commandment of the Lord. When Samuel came down he said to Saul: "What hast thou done? And Saul said, because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; "12. Therefore said I, the Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord; I forced myself, therefore, and offered a burnt offering. "13. And Samuel said to Saul, thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee; for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever. "14. But now thy kingdom shall not continue; the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee." Now to Saul it may have appeared a very simple matter that he should not wait the coming of the prophet. Why could not he, a king, make offering and supplication to the Lord? Why should he wait for the coming of Samuel? Because it was the will and commandment of the Lord, and he did not obey it. In this we have an evidence of the goodness of God in one way and of his strictness in another way. The king was assured by the prophet that if he had obeyed the commandment of God, his kingdom would have been established over Israel forever; but that having departed therefrom, his kingdom should not continue. We have another illustration in the life of Saul of the great importance of being obedient to the commandment of the Lord. When the Children of Israel came to the promised land from Egypt, under the guidance of the Almighty, on one occasion, when they were weary and footsore, the people of the Amalikites came out against them, and harassed them upon the right hand and upon the left and slew their women and their children and their tender ones. Because of this piece of treachery and unfriendliness to a people who had never injured them, the Lord determined that they should be destroyed, and he told the prophet to

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write it down in a book of remembrance, that when the people were established in the promised land and became strong they should go against the Amalikites and carry out the commandment of the Lord with respect to that people. Saul was selected by the prophet to perform this duty. He was told to gather together the hosts of Israel and to give battle to the Amalikites. He was commanded to destroy them from the face of the earth, because they had fought against Israel in the day of their weakness and trouble. Saul gathered the hosts of Israel and went against them, and destroyed them. But it is said in the scriptures that Saul and the people spared Agag the king and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fatlings and all that was good, but everything that was vile they destroyed utterly. Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said unto him: "Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king, and have utterly destroyed the Amalikites. "21. But the People took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal. "22. And Samuel said, hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offering and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. "23. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry." The Lord did not say to Saul that there was anything wrong in burnt offering and sacrifice, but he said that obedience was better than sacrifice. And later on Samuel said unto Saul, "I will not return with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel." In another place it is said that the Lord repented that he made Saul king over Israel, because he had forsaken him and failed to keep his commandments. It seems to me, brethren and sisters, that we can draw a lesson of wisdom from this story of the king of Israel. We can see that when the Lord gives a commandment to the children of men He requires the strictest obedience to that command. When the Lord speaks he means something. It is not as the conversation of one man with another, when we do not weigh our words and think not of the result thereof, but when the Lord delivers a commandment to his people it is binding upon them. We have the commandments of the Lord in the Bible, in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, in the Book of Mormon and in other Church works, wherein is set forth the mind and will of the Lord unto His people. Furthermore, we have the living oracles; we have the prophet of God to stand forth in the midst of Israel and deliver unto us the mind and will of God.

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The Lord has said in these last days that he will not be mocked, and that we cannot disregard or treat lightly his words. We know that many troubles and evils have come upon the people from time to time because of the disregard of the word of the Lord. We have been told, publicly, by the President of the Church that if the Latter-day Saints had heeded strictly the word of the Lord delivered to them through the Prophet Joseph Smith, they would now have been established in those eastern lands from which they were driven, and would be today the wealthiest community upon the earth. The Lord would have watched over and delivered them out of the hands of their enemies. It does not follow either that if they had been obedient to the command of God they would not have been brought to this land. I believe they would have been directed to this favored spot, and also established here and blessed abundantly. No doubt some of the evils under which we are struggling at the present time are due in a measure to our disobedience, for we have been instructed that Zion might have been redeemed long ago if the Saints had been faithful. We have strayed in a measure from the commandments of the Lord. Some of our people have put private interpretations upon the laws of God. Take the law of tithing for instance. It is very simple and easy to be understood. Very few words are employed by the Lord to set this law before his people. He says that He requires of his Saints one-tenth of their interest annually. It seems to inc that every man, woman and child could easily determine what their interest is annually. It is not a command of man: it is a command of our Heavenly Father. I have no right to put a private interpretation upon it, or to vary from it, or to say that a man is entitled to figure out this that and the other until he has nothing to pay tithing on, and in some cases until the Lord himself is brought in debt to the individual. I take the law as it comes to us in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. I have had no trouble in determining just what my tithing is. I have had no trouble in paying my tithing when I have paid it as I went along. The only trouble I ever experienced was when I left it until the end of the year, and when I figured it up it was a source of anxiety to me as to whether I had paid my tithing or not. But if we pay it as we go along, it is a simple matter, and the probabilities are that we will be honest in it with the Lord. It is so with all of the commandments of God. There is a blessing predicated upon the observance of every commandment. We cannot ignore it or depart from it or change it to suit our own notions and then expect to obtain the blessings. The Lord does His part, we must do ours. So I have rejoiced in contemplating this great and glorious principle of obedience. It has strengthened my faith. It has caused me to make new resolves. I have come to understand a little more than I understood last week or last month, the strictness of the Lord and how careful He is that his servants and people should obey Him, and what is meant when it is said that the Lord would choose a man after his own heart. It meant, I think, that He would choose a man who would obey his commandments. We know that the Savior was a man after the Lord's own heart. We are told that if we would have salvation we must follow the example of the Savior, and the great distinguishing quality of the Savior was his obedience. He came not to do His own

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will, but the will of the Father in all things. We too should feel that we are not here to do our own will, but the will of the Father. With respect to tithing? Yes. With respect to the Word of Wisdom? Yes. With respect to faith, repentance, baptism and the laying on of hands? Yes. With respect to all the great commandments which the Lord has delivered unto us? Yes. And not one more than another. We do not single out the principle of tithing and say it is the greatest commandment God has given. We simply say, it is a commandment of God and we should obey it. We do not say that a man will be saved and exalted simply because he obeys the law of tithing. We must live by every word that proceedeth forth out of the mouth of the Lord, and one commandment Is as sacred as another. They are all needful for the welfare of the Church and for the accomplishment of the purposes of God. We cannot pick and choose and say we will keep this commandment because it is pleasant to us and we will slight another because it is not agreeable. I pray that we may be greatly blessed in our conference; that the spirit of the Lord may rest down mightily upon the President of the Church and upon the brethren who shall be called to address the people, that we may be edified and strengthened, encouraged and renewed in our faith. I ask it in the name of Jesus. Amen.

ELDER ABRAHAM O. WOODRUFF

Advantages of Colonization and Manual Labor Brethren and sisters, in standing before you this morning I assure you I feel very dependent upon the spirit of the Lord to give me utterance. Without that spirit I feel that it would be unprofitable for me and my brethren to occupy the short time allotted to us in conference, where there is so much to be spoken of and so much business to be transacted pertaining to this great people. Therefore I pray that the Lord may bring to my memory some things that I have had upon my mind, and which I desire to speak a few words upon. I will read a portion of the 58th section of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants: "26. For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things, for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. "27. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; "28. For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch

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as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward. "29. But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned." These are the words of the Lord unto this people through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and they are applicable to us at this time. As a people, I believe that when the prophet of God stands before us and says "thus saith the Lord," we all feel in our hearts that he is speaking the mind and will of God. However united we may be in this respect and in other duties that devolve upon us, we are not as united as we ought to be. I hold that the Latter-day Saint who goes out from the crowded cities, takes up a portion of mother earth, and seeks to establish a home upon that piece of ground, is just as much engaged in the building up of Zion and in the work of the Lord as they who go out into the world to preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus. For our spiritual salvation would not amount to very much if it were not coupled with our temporal salvation. We have the battle of life to contend with, as well as the battle for salvation in the world to come. I feel that there is not altogether the united effort among the people of the Lord that there ought to be in our colonization matters. I deprecate the tendency that appears to be increasing among the young Latter-day Saints to rather earn a livelihood in an easy manner, by the use of the pen at the bookkeeper's desk, or the use of the scissors behind the dry goods counter, than to go out and assist in the great colonization that devolves upon this people. I do not feel that it is the duty of the Latter-day Saints to seek their own ease. The man who chooses a life of ease rather than one which will bring himself and his muscle in conflict with the sterility of the soil, does not develop within his heart the love of God as much as does the pioneer who goes forth with a desire to build up Zion materially. It is true, we are not all fitted for the same avocations in life, but I have noted in traveling among the people who are the colonizers of today that in many instances their sons and daughters have a desire to make an easy living. They do not desire to stay on the farm and to labor as their fathers and mothers have done. They lose sight of the fact that brains can be used in the colonization of new countries and in the cultivation of the soil as well as in callings to be found In the city. It is true, that in any avocation in life there is always room at the top; but it is not easy for young men and women to come in from the country and make a good living in the cities. Very often we find them, after they have labored five or ten years, without a home and without anything laid up for their future welfare. They may have had a pretty easy time of it; they may have been able to take advantage of the theatres, the pleasure resorts, etc., but they have not made any material advancement. It is my firm belief that if this spirit prevails among the young Latter-day Saints, it will only be a matter of a generation or two until our people will be the employed and not the employers. There should be a spirit instilled into the hearts of those who attend the Colleges of the Latter-day Saints, at any rate, to create employment, rather than to seek employment. We have learned by experience that it amounts to but very little to go out into the world and preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus to the people, and then bring them to these cities where they are not able to gain for themselves a livelihood. Very often bad

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results have arisen from this condition. There should be as great a desire to possess the earth and to become employers as there should be to go out and preach the Gospel. I do not know the reason of it, but it almost appears as if the young people of today abhorred the thought of using the hammer or the plane, or becoming connected with any business that entails hard work. The desire appears to be to make a living by the head, and not with the body and brain combined. I feel that this is wrong, for in time it will create a one-sided education. It seems to me that now is a good time to urge upon the fathers and mothers to teach their sons and daughters that farm life and the life of the colonizer and pioneer is not all drudgery, but that there are many advantages connected with it. The days of colonizing by this people are by no means past. There are vast tracts of land which I believe the God of Heaven has kept in reserve for this people. They only wait the diversion of the streams from their natural courses to transform them into thrifty farms and settlements. I believe that for a long time to come this country will furnish to our people places where the climate is good, where there is an abundance of water and land, where they can make good homes for themselves, and where, after a few years of hard labor, they will be able to give employment to others. They will not always have their "nose on the grindstone," nor will they be under the necessity of walking the streets and begging employment of other people. There is scarcely a day passes, when I am in the city, but some one comes to me who desires employment, or better employment than he already has. A great many of those who are employed in this city at the present time are spending more than they are making. It may be partially on account of extravagant habits that we have acquired in the last few years. But it is nevertheless a very unsatisfactory situation. Where people are busily engaged and have plenty to do, they are generally contented. If we will labor each day so that at the end of the day we can feel that we have accomplished something, we are able to lie down at night and partake of the God-given rest that comes to a tired body. But, as I have stated, very often the desire is to avoid this kind of life, and to shun labor which would soil our hands. This is not the spirit of the latter-day work. If our people do not take advantage of the vast tracts of land that are around us, and make Latter-day Saint homes thereon, we will ultimately find ourselves surrounded by a people not of us, who will possess the earth and take advantage of these opportunities that we are allowing to pass by, apparently unheeded. I believe that it is a righteous desire for a Latter-day Saint to wish to possess some of God's earth; and mothers and fathers can do much better with their children, so far as rearing them in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is concerned, upon the farm, where they can furnish them employment, than in the crowded cities, where they might have to walk the streets without employment and have nothing to occupy their minds but evil. There are many young Latter-day Saints today being led away in this manner, and I believe that one cause of this is the fact that we are neglecting as a people to make use of the soil, the streams of water, and the elements which surround us. My brethren and sisters, these are things that it would be well for us to consider. I feel

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that the Latter-day Saints need more blacksmiths, more mechanics, more colonizers, more young men and young women who are not afraid to go out and battle with the elements, and take advantage of the opportunities which God has placed within our reach, as our fathers and mothers have done. It has made good men and good women of them. They engaged in occupations that today are considered undesirable, but they are better men and women than we are. We ought to desire to build up the material Zion; and while we may not be commanded in these things, we should, as the revelation which I have read says, be willing to do many things of our own free will and choice. Where our people have gone forth in organized bodies, in accordance with counsel, to settle up new countries, they have been able to accomplish much. But where they have gone without the advice of their Bishop, or without the knowledge of the President of their Stake, they have contended one with another, have been disunited, and in almost every instance have made a failure of their canals and their colonization in general. Where, however, they have followed the counsels of the servants of the Lord they have been prospered, they have become a wealthy and industrious people, and their sons and daughters have become men and women of muscle and brain. May God grant that we may improve in respect to some of these things; that we may be a people who will keep constantly in view the necessity of union; that we may seek to support one another materially as well as spiritually; that we may desire to build up one another and thus build up the kingdom of God: that we may eliminate the spirit of selfishness from our hearts, and that we may grow and increase in the knowledge of God and his purposes. This is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

ELDER MATTHIAS F. COWLEY

Importance of General Conference -- The Sphere and Regulation of Temporal Affairs -- Need for Efficient Elders in the Missionary Field. My brethren and sisters, I am gratified for the privilege of being with you at this conference, and especially for the opportunity of being instructed by my brethren. I recognize the fact that I am always in need of instruction and admonition. I believe that this is the case with all the Latter-day Saints. That we may be fed with the bread of life, particularly with that portion of it which is adapted to the immediate wants of the Saints, is the object of this general conference. The Church is sixty-nine and a half years of age today; and while the congregation does not entirely fill this tabernacle, It is very large compared with the membership of the Church on the 6th day of April, 1830, Soon after the organization of the Church, we are informed, by the Doctrine and Covenants, conferences were inaugurated and it was enjoined by revelation that the various branches of the Church

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should send representative men to the conference, that they might, if called upon, represent the condition of the work of the Lord in their respective branches, and also that they might partake of the spirit which actuated the Prophet of the Lord and his associates. The importance of these conferences should be impressed upon the Latter-day Saints throughout the Stakes of Zion; and I believe that the spirit of them is extended to the various nations of the earth. I know that when I have been abroad preaching the Gospel, and a conference has occurred during my absence, I have felt the spirit of the occasion. Though I have been absent in body, I have been present in spirit. I have rejoiced in occasions of this character, though thousands of miles away from them. When Brother Rudger Clawson read from the scriptures this morning, I was reminded of a statement made in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, which I will read. It is in Section 59: "Behold, blessed, saith the Lord, are they who have come up unto this land with an eye single to my glory, according to my commandments." This was revealed to the Prophet Joseph at the time the Saints were assembled in Jackson County, Missouri, that land having been designated by the Lord as the great central gathering place of the Saints of God in this dispensation; and the expression in this paragraph: "Blessed saith the Lord are they that have come up unto this land with an eye single to my glory," is very indicative. The importance of it is demonstrated in subsequent history of the efforts of the Saints of God to establish Zion in Jackson County; for in the inception of this work the Lord communicated to the Prophet Joseph Smith all the keys and authority and every essential for the complete establishment and accomplishment of the work of God in the last days, and this included the principle of union. Brother Woodruff has been speaking to us this morning relative to the necessity of our having material interest in the work of God. I believe, indeed, I know, that if we confined our worship to the mere singing of hymns and the delivering of religious sermons, the Saints of God would die temporally; and if it were all temporal, they would die spiritually. That which is esteemed temporal and which is deprecated in the estimation of the religious world is sanctioned in the Gospel of Jesus Christ from the fact that all things are spiritual with God. We read in the revelations of God, to the Prophet Joseph, this saying of the Lord: "Wherefore, verily I say unto you, that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which is temporal." In the establishment of this work the Lord designed to communicate to the Latter-day Saints those principles which should control and govern them in all the temporal transactions of life. Every Latter-day Saint who has the spirit of the Gospel can understand the necessity of this. I maintain that it is an impossibility for men to be engaged for six days in the week in the business transactions of life and to be controlled by the principles which obtain in the

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world, and enjoy the spirit of the Gospel upon the Sabbath day and to worship Almighty God acceptably. The trouble with us is to a certain extent, we are Latter-day Saints religiously, but Gentiles financially. We are not controlled in the business affairs of life by that spirit of the Gospel which blesses and sanctifies all temporal transactions and makes them spiritual in the sight of God. In my travels among the people I have felt that the Sermon on the Mount, delivered by the Messiah, was the choicest sermon that ever fell from the lips of any earthly being. It is found in the 5th, 6th and 7th chapters of Matthew and also in the third book of Nephi. The injunctions He there gave are practical, essential, and adapted to the wants of the people of God, in every dispensation and in every part of the earth. The Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith the principles upon which the Zion of God could be established and perpetuated. He made known unto him that there should be a common interest in the things of God; that every talent should be blessed and sanctified to the establishment of the work of God upon the earth; that no matter what might be the peculiar gifts bestowed upon the individual, they should all be used in the accomplishment of the purposes of God. As a people we are diversely gifted. I remember reading a revelation in this book of Doctrine and Covenants, wherein the Lord says that He would not make the Prophet Joseph mighty in temporal things, because his work was in another direction. He was entrusted with the keys and the revelations of God, many of which had been kept hid from the foundation of the world, and He laid the foundation of this work and gave revelations which would enable his successors and the people of God for many years to build upon it. The Lord revealed to him what we call the United Order, by which all the time and all the talents of all the Saints of God should be employed for the general benefit of the cause. I remember reading in this book of a branch of the Church that had come up from Colesville, in the State of New York, and they had made a solemn covenant with the Lord that they would consecrate their property to His cause, but they broke that covenant, and it was a very serious sin in the sight of God. They had broken a solemn pledge, and they were made to realize the fulfillment of the saying that God would not be mocked, although it may not bare been so serious and swift a judgment as that pronounced upon Ananias and Sapphira in the days of the Apostles. The effort was made then to establish the United Order. Jesus sought to establish the work of God more fully than the house of Judah would accept it. You remember that He said to them: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not. "38. Behold, your house Is left unto you desolate. "39. For I say unto you, ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." The day is coming when they will be willing to accept the principle of gathering

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which they then rejected. But, as I have said, the effort was made to establish the principles of the United Order subsequent to the ascension of Jesus. They had, it is said, all things in common. On one occasion Ananias came to the Apostle Peter ostensibly to consecrate all that he had received under the blessings of the Almighty. The scriptures inform us that he and his wife had sold a possession and he brought a certain part of it and laid it at the feet of the Apostle Peter, who was the Presiding Apostle of the Church and who had received the keys not only to baptize for the remission of sins, to lay on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost and to administer the sacrament of the Lord's supper, but also to administer in those things that pertain to the celestial kingdom here upon this earth. Now Peter, under the influence of the Holy Ghost, discerned that the man was not honest in his offering, and he said unto him: "Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? "While it remained, was it not thine own? And after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. "And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down, and gave up the Ghost." Shortly afterwards his wife came in, and she also lied in relation to this business. These are principles my brethren and sisters, that are attended by the power of God, if they are observed. But they are attended by the judgments of God if they are violated. These principles were carried out in the City of Enoch until the city was translated. They were carried out for a few generations upon this continent by the Nephites, and the Book of Mormon tells us that not one of that generation was lost, because they were equal before the Lord and labored for the same end. The Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph the same principles. The Saints of God failed to carry them out because of selfishness. The Lord revealed that Zion never could be redeemed, only by the law of consecration. Because the people were not prepared to receive and obey it, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery besought the Lord to know what He required at their hands as a tithing. As a result of that condition, He gave the law of tithing wherein is required a tenth of all the interest of the people annually. The Lord specified what the tithing should be used for, and that it should be disbursed under the direction of the Presidency of the Church. Now, my brethren and sisters, the people who came to Zion without having an eye single to the glory of God lost their right to an inheritance. When they came up with sinister motives, and their hearts were not devoted to the work of God, they suffered the disapproval of the Almighty. The same statement will apply to us in these valleys of the mountains. We have been led here by the inspiration of the Almighty. The same inspiration has controlled and guided the Presidency of the Church in locating these Stakes of Zion, these cities and

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towns, throughout the length and breadth of this inter-mountain country. God has blessed us with abundance. The great majority of the Latter-day Saints own their own homes. If you were to ask them how many of them owned their own homes in their native lands, possibly four-fifths of them would say that they did not. If you were to ask them how many of them conducted a profitable business of their own before they came here, four-fifths would perhaps have to give the same answer. Yet in the prosperity that has attended us in the establishment of our cities, towns and in the building up of the Stakes of Zion in this country, we have not manifested the gratitude to God for his choice blessings which we ought to have done. We have an abundance of blessings, especially of a temporal character, and we ought to be willing to comply with the requirements that are made of us, and honestly and completely pay our tithing and our offerings. I rejoice in this work. I rejoice in bearing testimony to the truth of the Gospel and that we have a Prophet of God standing at our head today -- President Lorenzo Snow -- who enjoys the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and whose counsel to the Latter-day Saints comes from the Lord. May God help us to carry it out, and to exemplify in our lives the principles which we testify God has restored to the earth in these last days. I wish to urge the Latter-day Saints to teach their sons and their daughters the principles of the everlasting Gospel. There is a great necessity today, in the various missions abroad, for efficient men to preach the Gospel and to represent the people of God. Many of the young men that go from our Stakes of Zion to preach the Gospel have not studied it. They have not taken advantage of the opportunities afforded them in the Mutual Improvement Association, in the Sunday school and in other organizations. I am sorry to say that some of them have been grossly neglected by their parents. I have found Elders who did not believe in some of the principles of the Gospel. They said they had not been taught to them and they had been neglected by their parents. They had been engaged in herding sheep and other avocations, and had not taken pains to prepare themselves. The result was there was one principle of the Gospel, at least, that they did not understand, and consequently they did not teach or defend it. To my mind this was a very sorrowful condition, and it east reflection upon the parents and teachers of those Elders. I do not suppose that there is a mission upon the earth that would not desire to have more Elders than they now have, especially Elders who are better qualified and more thoroughly indoctrinated in the principles of the Gospel and more thoroughly imbued with the inspiration of the Holy Ghost before they leave their homes and shoulder the responsibility of carrying the message of eternal life to the nations of the earth. I know this is the case in the United States. I have recently had the privilege of visiting with President Kelch the conferences of the Northern States Mission, and I found the Elders laboring earnestly to spread the Gospel among the people of that region. Brethren and sisters, let us heed the instructions that are given to us at this conference and endeavor to apply them to our lives, that we may profit thereby. God help us to do so, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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The choir sang the anthem: "From afar, gracious Lord, Thou hast gathered Thy flock." Benediction by Elder Angus M. Cannon.

FIRST DAY AFTERNOON MEETING

The choir sang the hymn which begins: "High on the mountain top A banner is unfurled; Ye nations now look up, It waves to all the world." Prayer by Elder Joseph W. McMurrin. "Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God! He whose word cannot be broken, Chose thee for His own abode," was sung by the choir.

ELDER ANTHON H. LUND

Benefit of Having the Living Oracles -- The Way to the Tree of Life -- The Oral and the Written Word of Odd -- Fulfillment of Ancient and Modern Revelation -- The Law of Tithing. I hope I shall be able to make myself heard by this vast congregation. I was very much interested in the remarks of our brethren this forenoon, and the subjects they touched upon are of great value and importance to us as a people. When Brother Cowley spoke he alluded to the blessings we have received in having the living word of God in our midst and the Prophet of God to lead us. It made me think, do we really appreciate this great blessing of having inspired men in our midst to lead us? Do we give heed to their counsel and advice? The brethren have dwelt upon the importance of paying heed unto the Lord's commandments to His people. When He commands, He desires His children to obey. Obedience to the

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Father's will is a principle that we must all learn. He has not left us in the dark in regard to what He wants us to do. I believe the Latter-day Saints have more faith and a stronger testimony than any other people. They received this strong testimony when the hands of the servants of God were laid upon their heads. They received the Holy Ghost, which leads into all truth and makes known the Father's will. So that, while we have inspired men in our midst to give us the word of the Lord, we are not dependent upon that alone. The Lord has given unto us His Holy Spirit to witness unto our spirits whether that which is given us is right or not. The Latter-day Saints who perform their duty are not in the dark in regard to the counsel which they receive. When it comes from the servants of God unto them the Holy Spirit gives them a testimony that it is true. Lehi of old had a beautiful dream. He saw the world spread before him. He stood by a tree -- the tree of life-enjoyed its precious fruit and saw how multitudes were hurrying to get to that tree. He saw that there was a mist came down that obscured the tree of life from the view of the multitude. They wanted to reach it, but this darkness or mist prevented them from seeing it. The Lord, however, had provided means whereby they could reach it. There was a path leading to the tree and at the side of it a rod of iron. By taking hold of this and following it, although they were not able to see the tree, but believing what had been told them, that this rod led to the tree of life, many found it. But many would not take hold of the iron rod, and they went astray and did not reach the tree with its precious fruit. Lehi saw also how that the greater number were walking on the other side of a river, which divided them from the tree of life. They went to a spacious building. He saw his own children, raman and Lemuel, and He feared for them when he saw that they did not come where he was. His wife and his other children, shared with him the blessing of partaking of the fruit of the tree of life. This iron rod, it was explained, is the word of God. By taking hold of that we need not go astray. Although we may have to look forward with the eye of faith, holding to the iron red we will be just as safe as if there were no mist. We are blessed, brethren and sisters, in having the word of God in our midst; not only the written word, but also the living word of God. We are thankful that we have so much of the written word of God in our midst. While we do not look upon the Bible as many Protestants do, still we have Just as great reverence for it as they have. We have just as great a testimony, and greater, that it contains the word of God. We revere Its contents, and we are trying to carry them out in our lives. We have testimony of the truth of the Bible from other sources, which the world do not accept, however. But the book itself proves to us that it is genuine. Its own prophecies, fulfilled since it was written, prove to us that it is a book containing the word of God. Look at Daniel's prophecy. In what a nutshell is the history of the future portrayed there? We could not any better describe it today, after we have followed history down for more than two thousand years. Daniel's prophecies are like history written beforehand, showing that they were inspired. The words of Jesus have been fulfilled since they were written and given to the world. In Matthew we have a clear prophecy concerning the Temple and the City of Jerusalem. How deeply I felt impressed when I sat on Mount Olivet and looked down upon the Temple ground. I thought of the prediction that not one

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stone of that building should be left upon another. This was uttered when Jerusalem was flourishing. It seemed an impossibility that such a prophecy could be fulfilled, but within forty years it came to pass. The Temple, built of large masses of rock, was entirely destroyed. the stones carried away and the Temple ground plowed, so as to obliterate any trace of the Temple. It was considered policy by a Roman emperor to do this, but it was the fulfillment of a prophecy of Jesus. We look upon the Bible as containing the word of God written to those of old, but much of it in a general way applies to us. We also believe the Book of Mormon to contain the word of God. We look at its contents and we find that it contains Internal evidences of its truth, that it sets forth, which also show that it is a divinely inspired book. Take the tenth chapter of second Nephi, and you will find that in that book, which was published to the world some months before the Church of Jesus Christ was organized, prophecies concerning our time. It alludes to this land; it designates it as the land of Zion and tells how the Gentiles shall come and enjoy liberty here; that there shall be no king here, and that those who fight against Zion shall not succeed. The prediction that there shall be no kings upon the land has been fulfilled even in our day. When I read of Dom Pedro of Brazil having been dethroned, and the report went forth that being so popular he might again take the reigns of government over that state, I said that I did not believe that he would do so. I believed that the words uttered by Nephi, six hundred years before Christ, would be fulfilled, and that the time was hastening when there should not be any kings upon this land. When Louis Napoleon tried to establish an empire in Mexico he miserably failed, and the man who tried to heroine king there lost his life. But I specially want to draw your attention to the allusion to this being a land of Zion. It here gives us an intimation of the gathering; that people should come from other nations, gather to this land, establish a Zion and that the Lord should protect them so that the enemies of Zion should not have power over her. This was years before emigration to this country took place, but the prophecy has been fulfilled. We look upon this as the land of Zion, and the principle of gathering, though a unique one, has been one that has pervaded the teachings and belief of the Latter-day Saints from the beginning. Even before the Elders in their missionary labors have said anything about a Zion, the spirit of God has witnessed to the spirits of those who have received the Gospel that there would be a gathering, but that God would have a people of His own and that they would be gathered to one place. From the very beginning of the Gospel being sent to England we have evidence to prove this. I have seen in my administrations how quickly this spirit has taken possession of the Saints. And while we do not urge gathering today, feeling that the work will be strengthened by most of the Saints remaining in the branches for a time and helping the Elders carry the warning message of the Gospel, yet the principle of gathering is just as true today as ever it has been. We feel, however, that it is better for those who receive the Gospel abroad to become well grounded in the faith before they make the sacrifice of leaving their homes and their relatives, and when they are well grounded in the faith and have helped to build up the Church where they have received the Gospel, we want them to gather with us and to make a part of the great united Church of God.

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We have also the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, which contains numerous prophecies that have already been fulfilled. Take the 45th Section and that alludes to the gathering. The first year after the Church was organized this revelation was given and it plainly tells us that the people should gather from all the nations to this land, and that no weapon formed against Zion should prosper. Take the 49th Section, and what a plain prophecy it contains! So early in our history we are told that Jacob should flourish on the mountains -- alluding to the people coming to the mountains and becoming a strong people here, as the Prophet Joseph prophesied twelve years after the organization of the Church. These books we look upon as containing the word of God to us. But further, we believe that God has living witnesses upon the earth; that He has a mouth-piece upon the earth to give forth His words. Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God. His teachings prove that what he taught was divinely inspired. Some of his prophecies have been fulfilled, and others remain to be fulfilled. His predictions have not been guesswork. In 1832 he looked down and saw the fate of the nation. Earlier than that he told us the fate of the Church. Now it is reasonable to suppose that if the Lord raised up a Prophet, that Prophet would say something in regard to these two important things-the nation and the Church, and he did. He told how the Church would be persecuted and driven, and that even the blood of some should be spilt and should cry unto Heaven against those who had shed it. He prophesied that the Church should go to the Rocky Mountains, and he was so much impressed with the spirit of this that he appointed a committee to go and search for a place to locate the Saints. He did not live to see this accomplished, but we have seen this prophecy fulfilled. In regard to the nation he plainly foretold where the Rebellion should begin and what its results should be. Every one can see plainly that part of that revelation has been fulfilled and the other part remains to be fulfilled. Take the successors of the Prophet Joseph, and they have been inspired of the Lord to give His word unto the people, and we have known that it has been the word of the Lord. Today, brethren and sisters, the word of the Lord to us through His Prophet is that we should remember the law of tithing. It has been preached to you in many of your Stakes, and I am very happy to see the response that you have made to the call of the servants of the Lord. I hope that this will not be a temporary effect, but that you will all see and appreciate the importance of continually obeying the word of the Lord. Today we are walking in faith; that mist which Nephi saw lies around us, but we are shown the iron rod. Let us not let go of it and think that we can follow in another direction and that we will get through any way. If you and I shall obtain the privilege of eating of that precious fruit of the tree of life, we must hold to the iron rod. When the servants of God give us His word, let us cling to it; let us obey His will, and we will have no cause for regrets. In the book of Doctrine and Covenants we are taught that no religion has salvation in it that does not ask for sacrifice. It should not be a great sacrifice to us to pay our tithing. Great blessings have been promised those who will obey this law. The experience of the Saints has been that the Lord has fulfilled His promise in this regard. Before I close I wish to say to all: if you want your faith strengthened, if you want your testimony made clearer, pay your tithing and the Lord through His spirit

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will witness His approbation of your work. God bless you all. Amen.

ELDER MARRINER W. MERRILL

What the Word of the Lord Means to the Saints -- None are Exempt from the Law -The Bondage of Debt should be Avoided -- The Burdens of the Church should be Decreased -- Prosperity can be Secured. This is a very solemn assembly, a very important meeting, and one where we may consider our standing and fellowship with each other and with the Lord and sit in judgment upon ourselves. A passage of scripture comes to my mind. It is a saying of one of the prophets, written in the Bible, and it reads like this: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; "And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." This is a very important saying, and we may find profit in it by making it applicable to ourselves. No doubt many of this congregation have had testimonies of this work. They have seen the power of God made manifest. The gifts and blessings of the Gospel which we have embraced have not passed away from the Church. There is in the Church all the gifts, blessings and graces of the Gospel, and they are made manifest in many instances among the Saints, and would be more so had we more faith and exercised more diligence in serving the Lord. Every speaker doubtless that you will hear during this conference will have something to say different from former speakers. There are a variety of subjects in the Gospel that are of vast interest to us, and we come to Conference from far and near to consider that which may be presented to us for our guidance, for our profit, and for our instruction in the future. Hence the speakers do not confine themselves entirely to the written word, but speak as they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost. While listening to my brethren I have thought what an important position it is for one to occupy to stand before so many people and have their time and attention. Surely we ought to be inspired of the Lord, so that our words may be instructive and interesting to the people. We are here from different parts of the land, agreeable to the appointment of our conference, and we are here to listen, to make notes and to write down what may be said that is applicable to our case. The brethren who are our leaders, you have known for so many years that no doubt you have implicit confidence in them. We all have implicit confidence in the Presidency. We have known them for a great many years. We knew our beloved President before he was

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drowned in the Pacific ocean. President Snow was drowned once; at least after he was taken out of the water, he was pronounced dead; but the Lord brought him to life again and has made him mighty in the earth to declare His word unto the people. This is no vain thing; it is a reality. The Lord has a mouthpiece on the earth in the person of President Lorenzo Snow. Many of the Saints have lately heard his voice on a certain subject, relative to the welfare of the people of God. The Lord spoke to him and he spoke to the people. When President Snow was inaugurated as President of the Church every one present at that time felt a testimony from the Lord that he was the right man in the right place. I want to bear testimony to you that the Lord has spoken to President Snow in relation to the law of tithing. The Lord has looked down upon the people and beheld their condition, and seeing that they were straying to a certain extent from the laws of the Lord, He brought this subject forth unto us, and I bear record that it is from the Lord. It means, too, just exactly what it says -- that we must from this time forth pay our tithes and offerings to the Lord. Not half do it; but do it completely. I have had the experience of being a Bishop about eighteen years in the Church, and the Bishops have to deal with tithing matters. I can truthfully say, in looking over the history of my ministration, as a Bishop, that there were very few people indeed who paid their tithing. I can call to mind a few that in my judgment paid their tithing in full, but they were very few in the Ward where I presided. This is an important matter, my brethren and sisters. It applies to all of us. No man or woman is exempt. I do not know of any members of the Church being exempt from this law, even if he or she has to draw support from the Church. The tithing is due on whatever they draw. I say to you that if we will from this time on renew our diligence in regard to observing this law, the Lord will redeem us, and, as Brother Lund said, our faith will be increased. You mark it, the people who pay their tithing will have an increase of faith and an increase of prosperity. It is the shortest and easiest way to extricate ourselves from debt and to redeem the mortgages on our homes. I heard a man bear record to me two or three years ago on that point. He said: "I have paid my tithing recently, and I have been prospered. The way is opening up and things are becoming more easy with me." I would not advise you, my brethren and sisters, to worry or to lose any sleep over anything, but go along in the even tenor of your way, do your duty before the Lord and before your family, and set an example that is worthy of imitation. A great many of our people are in bondage. In other words, they are in debt. Their homes are mortgaged, their farms are mortgaged. This is all wrong. We should not place ourselves in bondage. Perhaps there are mitigating circumstances in some cases and good reasons why some people are involved; but such cases are few. A great many people have entered into these obligations unwisely. They have spent their means unwisely and have nothing to show for it. We want to begin to redeem ourselves; turn our faces to the Lord and intreat the Lord about our affairs. There is no wrong in going into our secret places and telling the Lord our circumstances, and if you will do this, you will find relief. You will have the suggestions of the Spirit, and ways will be opened up that you will not have thought of. If you will pay your tithing honestly before the Lord, He will hear and answer your prayers and the day will come when this people will be redeemed and their mortgages will be lifted. For the Latter-day Saints are a

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good people and the Lord loves them. If we were not a good people, we would not have the promise of being forgiven. I think I have heard President Snow say that if we would do better now, the Lord would forgive us for the past. This is an intimation that the Lord loves His. people, because there are many pure and devoted Latter-day Saints among them. Of course, we are not all what we ought to be, but we may become what we ought to be by turning our attention to our duty in the callings of the Priesthood. The idea has been common in the past that the Church could do everything-it could build every meeting house and every tabernacle almost throughout the land. Numerous applications were made to the Church, and in the goodness and sympathy of the souls of the Presidency and brethren they have conceded to our wishes in many instances, and tens of thousands of dollars have been appropriated to the people that we could have got along without. Now, I know a little about the affairs of the Church; not a great deal; but if you Bishops and Presidents of Stakes will take my counsel, you will not ask the Trustee-in-Trust for anything until his hands are relieved. We do not want him weighed down with obligations. We want to hold up his hands; to lift the Church from under its obligations, and to become a free people. We want to become lenders, and not borrowers, and we can do it, if we will set ourselves to accomplish the work. The Lord does not require, nor never has required, anything of us but what we can accomplish if we set our hearts to the work. We need to be very careful and very economical in our own affairs, and we will prosper in the land. The people in the north, and perhaps in the south, have met with some reverses this year on account of the frost destroying their crops to a certain extent. I have heard it said that in one of the Stakes of Zion there is at least ten thousand dollars worth of grain injured by the frost. A great many of the brethren perhaps are more or less discouraged because of this. We say to you brethren, be comforted, and be of good cheer. The hand of the Lord is in all these things amid prosperity will come to you. Your fields shall be fruitful and the frost shall be stayed, because of your diligence in serving the Lord. He brings things upon us sometimes to try our faith and our devotion to His work; but He will lift us up, and we will be placed on a plane where we will have joy and consolation in the goodness and mercy of the Lord to us. Who that has watched the course of events for the last forty or fifty years has not seen the hand of the Lord over this people in these mountain valleys, where, in early times, it was thought impossible to raise grain or vegetables? These valleys have been made fruitful; the elements have been tempered to the good of the people, the blessings of the Lord have been upon the land and the people as a whole are becoming wealthier every year, getting better homes, better surroundings, better meeting houses, better school houses and everything better. The blessings of the Lord are upon us, if we can only acknowledge the hand of the Lord in them. My brethren and sisters, I do not want to weary you at this time, but I want to see the Saints prosper. I know this work is true. I learned this man years ago. I left the grave of my father, the fireside of my mother, a boy alone in the world, without a cent in my pocket, to

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associate myself with the Latter-day Saints. Why? Because I had a testimony from the Lord that this work was true, that Joseph Smith was a great Prophet of God, and that his brethren of the Twelve were great men of God and Seers and Revelators. The Church will never be left without a Prophet nor without Seers and Revelators. My life has not been all smooth sailing. I have had the hard and the rough times in the early days here, but I have had testimony upon testimony that this work is from God. If you do not know it is true, it is because you have not sought as diligently as you ought to do. Every member of the Church may know that this is the work of God. Every young man may know it, whether he goes on a mission or stays at home, every young woman may have divine evidence from the Lord. You all may know it, if you will seek for it earnestly and devotedly. What greater blessing can we have than to be able to give a reason for the hope that we have. Whether we live or die, it matters not, so long as we are in the line of duty, and so long as we can say: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me." May the Lord bless us and fill us with His power and manifest His blessings unto us, that we may go home with the spirit of this conference and disseminate it throughout the land, that there may be an awakening among the people, and that the Lord may approve of us and our labors and bless us accordingly. God bless you. Amen.

ELDER HEBER J. GRANT

Effects Produced by the Lives of Great Characters -- Blessings of God Secured by Obedience -- When the Lord gives Commands He opens the way for the Obedient to Fufill them. I rejoice exceedingly at again having the opportunity of meeting with the Latter-day Saints in General Conference. I have listened with a great deal of pleasure to the remarks that have been made by the brethren who have spoken, and I earnestly desire that the time which I occupy may be for our mutual benefit, to strengthen us in the faith of the Gospel, and to inspire us with a determination to press forward in the discharge of the many duties and responsibilities resting upon us as members of the Church. We all, no doubt, look around in life and from our observation of men, or from our reading of the lives of those who have died, form our ideals, and we try to live and to be like those whom we admire. There is no character with which I have been familiar through my reading that has inspired me more than has Nephi of old. I can never read the life of that man without being inspired with a desire to be faithful, diligent and true to the Lord, that I may be abundantly blessed of the Lord, as was Nephi. If we all could be inspired with a determination to live as this man lived, there is no question in my mind but we would grow and increase in the Spirit of God, and in power and ability to do the will of our Heavenly Father on the earth. Alma says that the Lord

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granteth unto men according to their desires, whether they be for life or death, for joy or remorse of conscience. As Latter-day Saints, let us have a desire to live lives of usefulness, and to be instruments in the hands of God of accomplishing much good. I have read and spoken time and time again from the section of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants from which Brother Woodruff read this morning. I have felt a desire in my heart to be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and to bring to pass much righteousness of my own free will. I have endeavored to impress this also upon the minds of those with whom I have been laboring since being called to minister among the people. I desire to read a few words more from this same section. After telling us to be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and not to wait to be commanded in all things, the Lord says: "Who am I that made man, saith the Lord, that will hold him guiltless that obeys not my commandments? "Who am I, saith the Lord, that have promised and have not fulfilled? "I command and a man obeys not, I revoke and they receive not the blessing. "Then they say in their hearts, this is not the work of the Lord, for His promises are not fulfilled. But we unto such, for their reward lurketh beneath, and not from above." I know scores of Latter-day Saints who have been commanded of the Lord time and time again, but have failed to receive the blessings promised through the fulfillment of the commandments of God, because they have obeyed not. Yet they have accused the Lord of failing to fulfill His promises made to those who obey His commandments. I have ever known that those who pay not their tithing are the ones that criticise the expenditure of the tithing. Those who are approached for donations for laudable purposes, sometimes under the direction of the Presidency of the Church, and who refuse to contribute, are the ones that criticise the Presidency of the Church and the Apostles for calling upon them for means. But I find that the men who obey are those who testify that the promises of God are fulfilled. Therefore, it behooves each and every one of us to be true and energetic. I desire to read a few words from the writings of the Prophet Nephi. After hearing the testimony of his rather, and after they had gone into the wilderness Nephi says: "16. And it came to pass that I Nephi, being exceeding young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father, wherefore I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.

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"17. And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that he believed in my words; "18. But behold Laman and Lemuel would not hearken unto my words; and being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts, I cried unto the Lord for them. "19. And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying, blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart. "20. And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments -- " This is the point that I desire to impress upon your minds. "And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands." I say to the Latter-day Saints that this last statement is one of the testimonies of the truthfulness of this record, because this is a land choice above all other lands, and God has blessed the people upon this land. He has fulfilled the words recorded in this book time and time again, that those who should come up to fight against the people of this land should not prosper. After Nephi had been thus abundantly blessed of the Lord, when he returned to his father, who had received a commandment from the Lord that his sons should go back to Jerusalem for the brass plates, Laman and Lemuel were murmuring against this commandment. But these are the words of Nephi: "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father, I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save He shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them. "And it came to pass that when my father had heard these words he was exceeding glad, for he knew that I had been blessed of the Lord." We will all be blessed of the Lord if we have this same spirit and realize that no obstacles are insurmountable when God commands and we obey. I heard Brother Lyman once remark in a meeting of the Quorum of the Apostles, that he knew of no man who had ever been blessed by one of the Quorum of the Apostles or by the Presidency of the Church and had been sent out to fulfill a mission that had failed to do so. There might be those whose hearts they did touch, but there were those whose hearts could be reached. There never was a member of the Quorum of the Apostles sent upon a mission, but what sooner or later fulfilled that mission. This is a testimony of the statement of Nephi: "For I know that

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the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save He shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which He commandeth them." Let us realize this and that the keeping of the commandments of God will bring to us the light and inspiration of His Spirit. Then the desire of our hearts will be to know the mind and will of the Lord, and we will pray for strength and ability to carry it out, thereby following in the footsteps of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ. After the sons of Lehi had gone up to try and get the plates and were driven back, and Nephi's brethren desired to return to their father, Nephi said unto them. "That as the Lord liveth, and as we live, we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness, until we have accomplished the thing which the Lord hath commanded us. "Wherefore let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord." Here is the key: Nephi knew how to be successful. Let us therefore be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord. "Therefore let us go down to the land of our father's inheritance, for behold. he left gold and silver and all manner of riches. And all this he hath done because of the commandments of the Lord." After they had been driven the second time and Laban had stolen their gold and silver that they had offered him for the plates, Laman and Lemuel murmured again, and said that Laban could command his fifty and would slay them. And Nephi replied: "Let us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands." That is the kind of faith to have. Let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of God and then we know that we can win the battle, though we may be opposed by a man with his tens of thousands. The final result was that Nephi got the plates. We find recorded here also that Nephi was commanded of the Lord to build a vessel. His brethren laughed at him when they saw he was sorrowful Because they refused to help him to build the vessel. Nephi said to them: "Behold, my soul is rent with anguish because of you, and my heart is pained; for I fear lest ye shall be cast off forever. Behold, I am full of the Spirit of God, insomuch that my frame has no strength." Nephi continues: "And now it came to pass that when I had spoken these words, they were angry with

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me and were desirous to throw me into the depths of the sea; and as they came forth to lay their hands upon me, I spake unto them, saying: In the name of the Almighty God, I command you that ye touch me not, for I am filled with the power of God even unto the consuming of my flesh; and whose shall lay their hands upon me, shall wither even as a dried reed; and he shall be as naught before the power of God, for God shall smite him. "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto them, that they should murmur no more against their father: neither should they withhold their labor from me, for God had commanded me that I should build a ship." On another occasion when Nephi was in affliction, having been bound by his brethren on the ship, and they unbound him because they were afraid of the storm, Nephi said: "Wherefore they came unto me, and loosed the bands which were upon my wrists; and behold they had swollen exceedingly; and also mine ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness thereof. "Nevertheless I did look unto my God, and I did praise Him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord, because of mine afflictions." We find here a man of faith; a man who submits to affliction without murmuring. In all his history we find that he followed the commandments of the Lord. The Lord said to him in the beginning that if he followed His commandments he should be prospered in the land, and he was prospered. I wish to bear my testimony to the Latter-day Saints that all of us who will obey the commandments of God will be prospered in the land. Sacrifice doth bring forth the blessings of heaven. I bear my testimony to the truth of what Brother Lund has said today, that if the people will pay their tithes and offerings, they will not only be blessed in their material affairs, but they will be abundantly blessed with increased outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord. We find recorded in Section 130 of the book of Doctrine and Covenants, the following: "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundation of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated; "21. And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." I bear witness to you, as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, that material and spiritual prosperity is predicated upon the fulfillment of the duties, and responsibilities that rest upon us Latter-day Saints. I have rejoiced exceedingly that the debts which the people owe to the Lord in tithing have been forgiven by the Prophet of God. But I want to say to those who are able to pay those debts, it will be a great deal better for them if they will do so, notwithstanding they have been, forgiven. If the Lord will help me, I propose to pay every

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debt that I owe in the world. I propose with the help of the Lord to be true to my fellowmen in fulfilling every obligation that I have entered into with them. But above all and beyond all, I propose to fulfill my obligation, to the best of my ability, to God my Heavenly Father. I have been ridiculed in the public prints because I said that a man's duty was to pay his debts to the Lord if he did not pay his, debts to his fellowman. I repeat that. God my Heavenly Father has blessed me with a knowledge of the Gospel. I do know that God hives; I do know that Jesus is the Christ; I do know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God; I do know that Lorenzo Snow is, a Prophet of God; I know that God loves me; that He blesses me; that I am one of His children; that I am under obligations to Him; and that all I have on earth, all that I will ever receive here or hereafter, I am indebted to Him for it. Therefore, I say, shall I not fulfill the duties and obligations that I owe to my Creator and loving Parent before I fulfill my obligations to my fellowman. Has any man ever loaned me money because he loved me? No; he has loaned it to me because he wanted his interest. With the help of the Lord I propose to keep the commandments of the Lord, and then I do know that I shall be able to pay all that I owe; because I know that God blesses those who keep His commandments. I know that I never made a sacrifice of a financial nature in my life to help the advancement of God's work, without being abundantly rewarded therefore. Not only materially, but I grew in the knowledge of the Gospel and in the Spirit of God, which is worth more than all the wealth and honors of men. I desire never to allow my heart to wither up, so to speak, but rather to have it grow and expand. I desire to seek first the kingdom of God. I do know and bear witness to you that if I do it, all other things for my good will be added unto me. And what I bear witness to pertaining to myself, I bear witness to for all the Latter-day Saints. If you desire the Spirit of God, be honest in keeping the commandments of God. If you desire prosperity, and at the same time the testimony of the Gospel, pay all your obligations to God and you shall have it. If you are not honest with God, you may prosper and you may be blessed with the things of this world, but they will crowd out from your heart the spirit of the Gospel; you will become covetous of your own means and lose the inspiration of Almighty God. The Savior told us that if we gained the whole world and lost our own souls, it would profit us nothing. We have started out for life eternal, the greatest of all the gifts of God to man, and keeping the commandments of God will bring it to us. May God bless you. Amen.

ELDER GEORGE TEASDALE

The Restoration of the Gospel Produced the Gathering -- Exhortation Regarding the Law of Tithing -- The Latter-Day Saints do nothing that should draw out the Enmity of the World upon them Knowledge and Wisdom come by Experience -- The National Constitution should be Supported. "1. Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Lord, your God, and your Redeemer, whose word is quick and powerful.

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"2. For, behold, I say unto you, that it mattereth not what ye shaft eat, or what ye shall drink, when ye partake of the sacrament, if it so be that ye do it with an eye single to my glory; remembering unto the Father my body which was laid down for you, and my blood which was shed for the remission of your sins: "3. Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, that you shall not purchase wine, neither strong drink or your enemies: "4. Wherefore, ye shall partake of none, except it is made new among you; yea, in this my Father's kingdom which shall be built up on 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 unto you to reveal the Book of Mormon, containing the fullness 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 how 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 first 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 Peter, 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:

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"13. Unto whom I have committed the keys of my kingdom, and a dispensation of the Gospel for the last time; and for the fullness 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 or 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." Thus said the Lord many years ago. This everlasting Gospel that was restored to the earth through the agency of Moroni, John the Baptist, and Peter, James and John, has brought about this wonderful gathering that we see at this conference. We can congratulate each other that we have this glorious privilege today. The Lord Jesus Christ said: "No man can come unto me, except my Father draw him." How is it that we have accented the principles of everlasting life? Forty-seven years' experience I have had with this people, and I know most assuredly that the Priesthood of the Son of God has been restored to the earth, and that this work that we are engaged In is the work of the Lord, which Isaiah spoke about when he said that the Lord would commence a marvelous work and a wonder, in which the wisdom of the wise should perish and the understanding of the prudent should be brought to nought. Our Father in Heaven is doing his own work. That I want to say to my beloved brethren and sisters who have gathered together here for the purpose of worshiping the Lord at this conference. God has manifested his love unto us. How did these brethren who have spoken obtain the testimony which they have borne at the conference in the power and spirit of God? It is because God has loved them and given unto them his spirit. How is it that these Presidents of Stakes and their counselors. High Councilors and the Bishops and their counselors have this glorious privilege of assembling together at this conference to hear the word of the Lord and to represent their respective fields of labor? It Is By the grace of God. By His grace we are saved and have the privilege of a standing in the Church. It is our Father In Heaven who has drawn us into His fold, adopted us into His royal family and given unto us the Holy Priesthood, with the blessings and keys of endless life. He has also given unto us

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the understanding heart. He has filled us with His divine love, and has granted unto us the glorious gifts of faith, hope and charity. We gladly gather together to wait upon the Lord, to hear His word and to understand His counsel. Before coming to this meeting we have been on our knees, pleading with the Almighty that He would pour His spirit and blessing upon His servants who should speak, that they might faithfully deliver His word unto the people. We have had the word of God given unto us, and I bear testimony that this word is true, that we should repent of our robbing the Lord in tithes and offerings and that we should turn unto Him with full purpose of heart, consecrating unto Him one-tenth of everything that the Lord shall give unto us, by which we would he enabled to sanctify the land, so that His statutes might be kept thereon. This is the word of the Lord to us, and it will naturally bring division. There will be those who will hear the word of God and do it, and there will he those who will reject the word of God and count it as a light thing, making any frivolous excuse for despising the ordinances of the house of God. The Lord told His people through Malachi that when they robbed Him in tithes and offerings they were laboring under a curse, and the Lord has told us that if we do not honer this law it shall not be a land of Zion unto us, and our enemies shall prevail against us, but if we love Him and keep His commandments we shall prevail against our enemies. I do not know that we should have any enemies. I am not aware that we do any harm. We are striving all the time to set a righteous example, teaching the people correct principles. We take our lives in our hands and go forth to the nations of the earth with this glad message of great joy to the people, that God hath spoken and that He has restored to the earth His holy Gospel. We promise them that if they will obey the Gospel and live the principles of righteousness they shall have a living testimony and shall know, as we know, that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, that Joseph Smith was a true Prophet sent of God, that the dispensation of the fulness of times is being ushered in, and that the people are being prepared for everlasting life or for death, for a glorious resurrection or a resurrection of everlasting shame. There are two resurrections, the resurrection of the just and the resurrection of the unjust. How could we expect a part in the resurrection of the just, unless we were just to our God and to each other? Vain theories will never do us any good. Foolish dogmas never saved anybody or anything. We can only be sanctified by the truth as it is in Christ Jesus. The Lord hath said "Look unto me all Ye ends of the earth, for beside me there is no Savior." Why do not the Inhabitants of the earth look unto him? Why do they not have faith in Him? Because it is not their tradition. "Without faith it is impossible to please God." I was not educated to believe that it was essential that I should enjoy the spirit of revelation myself; that I had the privilege of communion with God my Eternal Father and obtaining light and intelligence from Him; and that if I would sanctity myself before the Lord and keep His commandments I should receive line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. I ask you, my beloved brethren and sisters, if we do not grow gradually in the knowledge of God? We do not receive it in a day; we must have experience, and therefore I think our persecutions are

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all right. Jesus Christ said: "It must needs be that offenses come, but we unto them by whom they come." We have to be educated in this line. If we were not oppressed, misrepresented, lied about and slandered, we never would have sympathy for others in the same condition. My sympathies go out to the patriot and to the lover of liberty who believes in sustaining the constitution that was given of Almighty God. I do not sympathize with the hypocrite. Jesus Christ said: "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees," (hypocrisy) and we might say, beware of the leaven of the Gentiles. Let us be what we seem to be. If we are patriots. let us stand by correct principles, and, let this be a land of religious liberty to all mankind. Let it be the land of the free and the home of the brave, truly and literally, and let those that are weak be protected. That was the determination when the Constitution was written. The more I study and understand the Constitution of the United States, the more I revere it. I am something like Bishop Edward Hunter, who said, "Too good, too good, for a bad people." It is a glorious document, and one that we are under obligation to sustain. Every American citizen promises to sustain the Constitution of the Ignited States. Every officer in the country makes that oath and covenant. That is done for the protection of the weak and to prevent religious persecution. It was so in the beginning, and we unto those who trample upon that Constitution. God bless us in our individual responsibilities. We shall all have to stand before the bar of God and give an account of the deeds done in the body. All men, whether they be princes on their thrones, or beggars in the street, have got to meet the covenants that they have made. The choir here sings sometimes, "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully." That is it. Let us be kind to ourselves; let us fear God and keep his commandments, and when He requires anything at our hands by His grace, let us perform it. Unto this end may God sustain us, for Christ's sake. Amen. The choir sang: "Let the mountains shout for joy." Benediction by Patriarch John Smith.

SECOND DAY MORNING MEETING

Saturday, October 7, 10 a.m. Conference was called to order by President George Q. Cannon. The choir and congregation sang the hymn which begins:

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"We thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet, To guide us in these latter-days; We thank Thee for sending the Gospel, To lighten our minds with its rays." Prayer by Elder Charles W. Penrose. Singing by the choir: "Come, dearest Lord, descend and dwell, By faith and love, in every heart; Then shall we know and taste and feel The joys that cannot be expressed."

PRESIDENT LORENZO SNOW

How the Land of Zion shall be Redeemed -- The Law of Consecration -- The Law of Tithing -- Persecutions in the Past and the Cause of Them -- Gratifying Effects of Recent Preaching -- Not the Business of Saints to Fight their Enemies. Brethren and sisters: I wish, as I always do in coming before an audience of Latter-day Saints, your faith and prayers, that I may say such things as will be a comfort and a blessing. A day or two before this conference, in thinking upon what I might wish to say to the Latter-day Saints, it occurred to me that perhaps I had said about enough in reference to the matter of tithing, and that I would not confine myself to that subject, as I have spoken to the Latter-day Saints in conferences of all the large Stakes and also here in Salt Lake City at a Stake Conference. I felt that it might not be necessary to talk upon this subject, but that it would be proper for two of my brethren, who were with me at St. George and since, to talk upon it once more in their lives, and I have so requested them. Now, I feel it my duty to say something still myself in reference to this most important subject of all, under the present condition, that can be laid before the Latter-day Saints. I will read a few verses in the 63rd Section of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, commencing with the 25th verse: 25. "Behold the land of Zion, I, the Lord, holdeth it in mine own hands; 26. "Nevertheless, I the Lord, rendereth unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; 27. "Wherefore, I the Lord, willeth that you should purchase the lands that you may have the advantage of the world, that you may have claim on the world, that they may not be stirred up unto anger;

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28. "For Satan putteth it into their hearts to anger against you, and to the shedding of blood; 29. "Wherefore the land of Zion shall not be obtained but by purchase or by blood, otherwise there is none inheritance for you. 30. "And if by purchase, behold you are blessed; 31. "And if by blood, as you are forbidden to shed blood, lo, your enemies are upon you, and ye shall be scourged from city to city, and from synagogue to synagogue, and but few shall stand to receive an inheritance." We learn from these verses that the Lord determined that the Latter-day Saints could secure the land of Zion only by two ways: One by purchase, the other by the shedding of blood. The Lord also determined that possession of that country should not be gained except by the purchase of the land. It should be bought and paid for by the means furnished by the Latter-day Saints, whether rich or poor. It should be bought as other people buy land. The Lord would not permit them to take possession of the land by force, or by antagonizing the people's interests. The Lord expressly stated that He had no other object in view than that the Latter-day Saints should obtain it upon the principle of purchase. Even if it took every cent they possessed, they should not secure it by the shedding of men's blood. And if you and I ever get any possession upon the land of Zion, it will be by purchase, not by force. This has been the will of the Lord from the beginning. He has never allowed his people to take possession of any property by force. When the Children of Israel were taken from Egyptian bondage and promised an inheritance in what is called the "land flowing with milk and honey," it was not the design of the Lord that they should get possession of that land by force. Upon the banks of the Red Sea, after they had crossed over by the miraculous interposition of providence, he presented to them the same principles of salvation and exaltation as he has presented to us. But they rejected those principles, and then he told them what should be the results of that rejection. He proposed to make them a nation of kings and priests, and there is only one way to do that, and that is through the everlasting Gospel in all its fullness. He told them that he would send the hornet before them to drive out the people from the land that he proposed to bestow upon them. But, as I have said, they rejected the principles that were presented to them, and therefore the Lord, through their disobedience, was compelled to give them another law. We are told in the 29th verse, which I have read: "Wherefore the land of Zion shall not he obtained (not may not be, or can not be, hot shall not be) but by purchase or by blood. otherwise there is none inheritance for you."

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That which I have read from the 63rd Section has been literally fulfilled. The Lord provided a way whereby they could secure the means to purchase that country, namely by the law of consecration. There was no one man in the Church that could have bought that land; there were no two men, or half a dozen men, or a hundred men that could have bought it. The people as a general thing were poor. There were no rich men that received the Gospel in those early days. But by combination and union they could have secured the means to carry out the purposes of the Almighty in regard to the purchase of that country. They failed because of their love for money. In a revelation after this we are told that they failed to give their names as they were commanded. The Lord sent Elders throughout the States, where there were Latter-day Saints to collect means for this purpose, and the people in Jackson County were required to observe the law of consecration. But they failed to do it, and therefore the lands were not secured. The Lord could have sustained the people against the encroachments of their enemies had they placed themselves in a condition where he would have been justified in doing so. But inasmuch as they would not comply with His requirements, the Lord could not sustain them against their enemies. So it will be with us, or with any people whom the Lord calls to comply with His requirements and whom He proposes to confer the highest blessings upon, as He has in reference to us, and as He did in reference to the people in Jackson County. There having been a failure in regard to this law of consecration -- a failure so serious that it resulted in great misery to the people of God -- a few years after that the Lord gave another law for the Saints to observe in place of the law of consecration. It is called the law of tithing. If we look upon this law in its proper light, we will see the Importance of it and the danger that will result if we fail to observe it. It would hardly be Justice in our Heavenly Father if He were to deal with the Latter-day Saints now in any way different from that In which Ire dealt with fits people in Jackson County. If we find out what resulted from their failure in the law of consecration, we may, I think, very readily and reasonably conclude what will be the result of a failure in reference to this law that has been put before us in place of the law of consecration. I dare say that it seems to some persons who are not in the habit of reflecting much that the Lord is severe under certain circumstances. When we consider what transpired here a few years ago in this beautiful country and the distress that was visited upon the men, women and children, we might think there was some severity about that. The same in reference to what followed a disobedience to this law of consecration in the early days of the Church. The Lord told the Saints who formed that colony in Jackson County what should be the results if they failed to observe the law of consecration. He said: "Ye shall be scourged from city to city and from synagogue to synagogue, and but few shall stand to receive an inheritance." I do not wish to speak very long; I do not expect my voice will allow me; but I want to

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read an extract showing what followed a disobedience of consecration. And in this connection I want you to distinctly understand that the Lord certainly could have preserved the Saints there had they obeyed His will. We will see what followed it for disobedience. We will not follow it for many years from that time, but will take the immediate results of their disobedience to the law of consecration. Then before I get through, I will show you something that I think we can take satisfaction in. It is not all bad that I am going to talk to you this morning. Here is an extract taken from the history of Joseph Smith in the Millennial Star, Vol. 14: "Friday, November 1, 1833, I left Buffalo, New York, at eight o'clock a. m., and arrived at my house in Kirtland on Monday the 4th, ten a.m., and found my family well, according to the promise of the Lord in the revelation of Oct. 12th, for which I felt to thank my heavenly Father. "Thursday night, the 31st of October, gave the Saints in Zion abundant proof that no pledge, written or verbal was longer to be regarded; for on that night, between forty and fifty persons in number, many of whom were armed with guns proceeded against a branch of the Church west of the Big-Blue, and unroofed, and partly demolished, ten dwelling houses; and in the midst of the shrieks and screams of women and children, whipped and beat in a savage and brutal manner, several of the men; and with their horrid threats frightened women and children into the wilderness. Such of them as could escape, fled for their lives; for very few of them had arms, neither were they embodied: and they were threatened with death if they made any resistance: such therefore as could not escape by flight, received a pelting by rocks, and a beating with guns, sticks, etc. "On Friday, the lst of November, women and children sallied forth from their gloomy retreats, to contemplate with heartrending anguish, the ravages of a ruthless mob. In the mangled bodies of their husbands, and in the destruction of their houses, and some of their furniture. Houseless, and unprotected by the arm of the civil law in Jackson County; the dreary month of November staring them in the face, and loudly proclaiming an inclement season at hand; the continual threats of the mob, that they would drive out every "Mormon" from the country; and the inability of many to remove, because of their poverty, caused an anguish of heart indescribable. "On Friday night, the 1st of November, a party of the mob proceeded to attack a Branch of the Church at the Prairie about twelve or fourteen miles from the village. "Two of their number were sent in advance, as spies, viz: Robert Johnson, and one Harris, armed with two guns and three pistols. They were discovered by some of the Saints, and without the least injury being done to them, said Johnson struck Parley P. Pratt with the breach of his gun, over the head; after which they were taken and detained till morning; which, it was believed, prevented a general attack of the mob that night. In the morning, they were liberated without receiving the least injury.

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"The same night (Friday) another party in Independence, commenced stoning houses, breaking down doors and windows, destroying furniture, etc. This night the brick part attached to the dwelling house of A. S. Gilbert, was partly pulled down, and the windows of his dwelling broken in with brick-bats and rocks, while a gentleman stranger lay sick with a fever in his house. "The same night, three doors of the store of Messrs. Gilbert and Whitney were split open; and after midnight, the goods lay scattered in the streets, such as calicoes, handkerchiefs, shawls, cambrics, etc. An express came from the village after midnight to a party of their men, who had embodied about half a mile from the village for the safety of their lives; stating that the mob were tearing down houses, and scattering the goods of the store in the streets. The main body of the mob fled at the approach of this company. One Richard McCarty was caught in the act of throwing rocks and brick-bats into the doors, while the goods lay strung around him in the streets; and was immediately taken before Samuel Weston, Esq., and a complaint was then made to said Weston, and a warrant requested, that said McCarty might be secured; but said Weston refused to do anything in the case at that time. Said McCarty was then liberated. "The same night, some of their houses in the village had long poles thrust through the shutters and sashes into the rooms of defenseless women and children, from whence their husbands and fathers had been driven by the dastardly attacks of the mob, which were made by ten, fifteen, or twenty men upon a house at a time. "Saturday, the second of November, all the families of the Saints in the village moved about half a mile out, with most of their goods, and embodied to the number of thirty, for the preservation of life and personal effects. This night a party from the village met a party from the west of the Blue, and made at attack upon a Branch of the Church, located at the Blue, about six miles from the village. Here they tore the roof from one dwelling. and broke open another house, found the owner, David Bennett, sick in bed, whom they beat most inhumanly, swearing they would blow out his brains; and discharged a pistol, the ball of which cut a deep gash across the top of his head. In this skirmish, a young man of the mob was shot in the thigh; but, by which party, remains yet to be determined. The next day, Sunday, Nov. 3rd, four of the Church, viz., Joshua Lewis, Hiram Page, and two others, were dispatched for Lexington, to see the circuit judge, and obtain a peace warrant. Two called on Squire Silvers, who refused to issue one, on account, as he has declared, of his fears of the mob. This day many of the citizens, professing friendship, advised the Saints to clear from the country as speedily as possible; for the Saturday night affray had enraged the whole country, and they were determined to come out on Monday, and massacre indiscriminately; and, in short, it was proverbial among the mob, that "Monday would be a bloody day."

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"Monday came, and a large party of the mob gathered at the Blue, took the ferry boat belonging to the Church, threatened lives, etc. But they soon abandoned the ferry, and went to Wilson's store, about one mile west of the Blue. Word had previously gone to a Branch of the Church, several miles west of the Blue, that the mob were destroying property on the east side of the Blue, and the sufferers there wanted help to preserve their lives and property. Nineteen men volunteered, and started for their assistance; but discovering that fifty or sixty of the mob had gathered at said Wilson's, they turned back. "At this time two small boys passed on their way to Wilson's, who gave information to the mob, that the "Mormons" were on the road west of them. Between forty and fifty of the mob immediately started with guns in pursuit; after riding two or two and a half miles, they discovered them, when the said company of nineteen immediately dispersed, and fled in different directions. The mob hunted them, turning their horses into a corn field belonging to the Saints -- searching their corn fields and houses, threatening women and children that they would pull down their houses and kill them, if they did not tell where the men had fled. "Thus they were employed, hunting the men, threatening the women, until a company of thirty of the Saints from the prairie, armed with seventeen guns, made their appearance. "The former company of nineteen had dispersed, and fled, and but one or two of them had returned to take part in the subsequent battle. On the approach of the latter company of thirty men, some of the mob cried, "fire, God damn ye, fire." Two or three guns were then fired by the mob, which were returned by the other party without loss of time. This company is the same that is represented by the mob as having gone forth in the evening of the battle, hearing the olive branch of peace. The mob retreated early after the first fire, leaving some of their horses in Whitmer's corn field, and two of their number, Hugh L. Brazeale and Thomas Linvill, dead on the ground. Thus fell H. L. Brazeale, one who had been heard to say, "with ten fellows, I will wade to my knees in blood, but that I will drive the Mormons from Jackson County." The next morning the corpse of said Brazeale was discovered on the battle ground with a gun by his side. Several were wounded on both sides, but none mortally, except one, Barber, on the part of the Saints, who expired the next day. This battle was fought about sunset, Monday, Nov. the 4th, and the same night, runners were dispatched in every direction under pretence of calling out the militia; spreading as they went every rumor calculated to alarm and excite the unwary; such as, that the "Mormons" had taken Independence, and the Indians had surrounded it, being colleagued together, etc." I understand, brethren and sisters, that these matters are not very pleasant to dwell upon; yet they occurred, and the Saints had to meet them. We will have to meet them in the future, if we allow ourselves to he placed In the same condition of disobedience as were the people that colonized Jackson County. We cannot expect anything different. The Lord is the same today as He was yesterday. I present these things to you this morning that you may reflect upon them, and be more ambitious in endeavoring to keep clear of such possibilities. They are only a portion of the sad results that followed disobedience to the law of

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consecration. The Saints pursued a course whereby the Lord could not justify himself in preserving them upon the land of Zion. It was decreed of the Almighty that that land should be purchased, as I have read to you. I remember one time hearing President Hyde (I think it was) speaking in regard to our going back to Jackson County, and he said that inasmuch as they had abused the Saints and wrested from them some of their possessions, when we went back we would follow the same course toward them. After he had got through, President Young spoke upon this, and he said the Latter-day Saints never would get possession of that land by fighting and destroying life; but we would purchase the land, as the Lord had commanded in the first place. And I will tell you that that land never will he purchased, except it is purchased by the tithing of the Latter-day Saints and their consecrations; never worlds without end. But the Latter-day Saints never will be in that condition of disobedience as were the people that colonized Jackson County. A reformation has taken place during the last few months that is perfectly marvelous. I am amazed at what has been the result of our teachings to the Latter-day Saints upon the principle of tithing. I will read this law of tithing as it is given in Section 119 of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants and I ask you brethren to read it when you get home; not only once, but all the time until you understand it thoroughly and distinctly, though it is so simple and plain that one would imagine that reading it once would be sufficient. "Revelation given through Joseph, the Prophet, at Far West Missouri, July 8th, 1838, in answer to the question, O Lord, show unto thy servants how much thou requirest of the properties of the people for a tithing?" That is a plain request, and the answer is equally as plain. "Verily, thus saith the Lord, I require all their surplus property to be put into the hands of the bishop of my church of Zion." I want to say a word in reference to this surplus property. The Prophet Joseph explained how it should be given, When a person wished to consecrate property, the Bishop and the person desiring to consecrate should determine what was right in the matter, and if they could not agree, it should be left to twelve High Priests to decide, and the Bishop should not he one of the number. "For the building of mine house, and for the laying of the foundation of Zion, sod for the Priesthood and for the debts of the Presidency of my church." This Church could not go on unless there was revenue, and this revenue God has provided for. Our temples, in which we receive the highest blessings ever conferred on mortal man, are built through revenue. We never could send the two thousand Elders out into the world to preach the Gospel, as we are now doing, unless there was revenue to do it. It costs tens of thousands of dollars, running into the hundreds of thousands, to send our Elders out to the world year after year. Then there are a thousand other things constantly occurring

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for which means are required. $40,000 or $50,000 is required yearly to support the poor. "And this shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people. "And after that, those who had thus been tithed, shall pay one tenth of all their interest annually."' This will be explained to you hereafter, although it is perhaps a little strange that there should be any necessity of explaining it. It is like the school boy, however, when he commences to learn the alphabet. The letter A is pointed out to him by the teacher. and tells him what it is and asks him to please remember it. The next letter, B, is pointed out, and the boy is asked to remember that. The teacher then returns to A. What letter is that? The boy has forgotten and it has to be repeated by the teacher. Will you please remember it now? The boy says, "O yes, I'll remember it." He feels sure that he can remember it now. But when the teacher returns to the letter once more, the boy has forgotten it again. So they go through the alphabet, having to repeat each letter over and over again. It is the same with the Latter-day Saints. We have to talk to them, and keep talking to them. Well, that is our business, so we need not worry about it. The Lord continues: "And this shall be a standing law unto them for ever, for my Holy Priesthood, saith the Lord." That law is just as important and sacred today as when it first came from the Lord. "Verily I say unto you, it shall come to pass that all those who gather unto the land of Zion shall be tithed of their surplus properties, and shall observe this law, or they shall not be found worthy to abide among you." No more than the people in Jackson were found worthy to remain in Jackson County. You will be shown probably hereafter that their names shall not be recorded in the book of the law of the Lord, neither the names of their fathers nor the names of their children. If we had time and Bishop Preston could talk to you about this, he would show you that the name of every man, woman and child who pays tithing is recorded and none others. "And I say unto you, if my people observe not this law to keep it holy. -- " No man can keep this law holy unless he pay a conscientious tithing. "If my people observe not this law, to keep it holy, and by this law sanctify the land of Zion unto me, that my statutes and judgments may be kept thereon, that it may be most holy, behold, verily I say unto you, it shall not be a land of Zion unto you. And this shall be an ensample unto all the Stakes of Zion."

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If some of the Latter-day Saints had not paid tithing our four Temples here never would have been erected, and the judgments and statutes of God pertaining unto exaltation and glory never could have been kept. The first principle of action to the Latter-day Saints is to sanctify the land by keeping this law of tithing and placing themselves in a position where they can receive the ordinances that pertain unto exaltation and glory of our dead. Now we will turn to the more pleasing part of the subject, and see what the Latter-day Saints have been doing since this matter was brought to their attention in St. George. In the month of May the Lord manifested to me most clearly that it was my business and the business of the Elders of Israel to go speedily and teach this principle to the Latter-day Saints, because there had been woeful neglect of this law, and the Latter-day Saints should be shown the necessity of observing this law most faithfully, or else the results would not be agreeable to say the least. We have been talking about this since the latter part of May, and it has been a matter of deep consideration and thought as to how much talk would affect the Latter-day Saints. In looking over the books we found that a great many of the Latter-day Saints had not paid one cent of tithing. I was perfectly astonished, for I had no idea that there had been such neglect. But the Saints have been wonderfully awakened, and it is marvelous what they have done in the past few months. I am now going to read to you in regard to the result of our talking to the Saints. We have the greatest pleasure and satisfaction in knowing what the Latter-day Saints are doing now in comparison with what they have done for many years past: Cash tithing paid in June, 1898 ................ $23,000 " " " ", 1899 .................... 28,700 Increase in 1899 ........................................ $ 5,700 Cash tithing paid in July, 1898 ................ $17,900 " " " ", 1899 .................... 50,300 Increase in 1899 ....................................... $32,400 Cash tithing paid in August, 1898 ........... $14,800 " " " ", 1899 .................... 37,200 Increase in 1899 ....................................... $22,400 Cash tithing paid in September, 1898....... $11,400 " " " ", 1899 .................... 46,700 Increase in 1899 ...................................... $35, 300 The total paid in these four months last year was $67,700. The total paid the same four months this year, 1899, was $164,900 making an increase of $95,800 for the four months. In October, 1898, $18,000 was paid, and during the six days that are now past of this month $22,000 has been paid.

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God bless the Latter-day Saints. I want to have this principle so fixed upon our hearts that we shall never forget it. As I have said more than once, I know that the Lord will forgive the Latter-day Saints for their past negligence in paying tithing, if they will now repent and pay a conscientious tithing from this time on. But it would be woeful to think of the results if the Latter-day Saints had failed to listen to the voice of the servants of the Lord. It is God's truth that the time has now come when He will not look favorably upon our negligence of this principle. I plead with you in the name of the Lord, and I pray that every man, woman and child who has means shall pay one-tenth of their income as a tithing. I beseech you to do this for the time has now come when the Lord is prepared to bestow upon us the choicest blessings. Our enemies are upon our path, and will if possible make us trouble. If we are unfaithful in this matter the same results will follow us as followed the people in Jackson County. It is not our business to fight our enemies. There Is no man or woman on the face of the earth, but is our brother or our sister. They are the children of God and we are here to bear and forbear with them in their interest and for the glory of God. It is not our business to destroy life. It is not our business to make war upon our enemies. They should let us alone. I would not say that I could govern and control by passions if a man were to try to take my life. That Is another thing altogether. But It Is not our business to fight them. They are our brethren and sisters and God have mercy upon them. That should be our prayer. There are thousands of people that are fighting against us who would, if they knew what we know, lay down their weapons and suppress the spirit to contend against us. The time will come when they will know it. It will not be in our day, but it will be in somebody's day here on the earth, or on some other earth. It is our business to do what the Lord requires of us, and He will protect us. It is very easy for the Lord to protect us and to overrule our enemies' intentions that they may not interfere with our interests. God bless you. Let us observe the law of God. Do not forget what the Lord requires of us today. Be faithful today, and when tomorrow comes we will be the better prepared to be faithful then. So let us continue day after day, and bye and bye we will be relieved of this body of sin and corruption, sorrow, and grief, and we will have another body, exalted and glorified, and we will dwell in the presence of God. We will be there together and talk with one another as we are doing today. God bless you. Amen.

ELDER JOHN HENRY SMITH

The Hearts of Men Softened Toward the Saints According to Divine Promise -- The Lord will Fight the Battles of the Saints -- A Plea for the Brigham Young Monument -- In Relation to Amusements -- The Law of Tithing. My brethren and sisters, with you I believe that our services this morning should be most deeply impressed upon every mind, and rather than to speak myself I certainly would much prefer to remain in thought upon the suggestions couched in the discourse of President Snow, bearing upon the well-being of the Saints in the early days of this Church and the

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trying experiences through which they were compelled to go. In considering the circumstances surrounding our brothers and sisters in that day and those which surround us today, I feel that I would like to fix an idea in my own mind which would guard me, in the performance of my part in connection with the work of God, from the possibility of that severe experience through which the Saints passed during that time. I feel not only so with regard to myself, but I would like to see it possible to eliminate from the experiences of my brothers and sisters such trials. I believe thoroughly that if we can apply to our lives each doctrine of the Gospel, and earnestly seek to impress upon the circles in which we move, the necessity of a strict obedience to each ordinance established in the Lord's House, the promise that has been given us will be fully realized. Not that I anticipate for a moment that the victory is gained and that the enemy of all righteousness will be speedily and thoroughly subdued. Our Father has made the promise to the Latter-day Saints that He would soften the hearts of their enemies from time to time until they gain strength. He has fulfilled this promise in the years that are past and gone. Men whose hearts seemed embittered, to an extent that was alarming, against the work of the Lord, have modified their feelings and their actions in fulfillment of this promise of our Father. I believe that in future times like conditions will arise, until in the providence of God His people shall be so fully established in the understanding of the truth and in power in the world that they will stand firm and readily obey every requirement of the Gospel, and in that obedience mankind will prove the generosity of the work of God in its dealings with the children of men. Instead of their standing in dread of it and the development of its power, they will recognize that its growth means an advance in the interests of morality and honesty, and a spread of that sentiment which leads to the protection and preservation of the liberties of the children of men. This is its mission. The consciences of men throughout the world are to be guarded and protected by it. Under its guardian care men shall be able to exercise their right of conscience untrammeled and fulfill their mission on the earth in the way in which they deem best, without, however, interfering with or trampling upon the right of their fellowmen. I have In my mind several subjects upon which I would like to speak briefly. I do not desire, however, to take your minds away from the utterances of our President this morning, who has brought before us the history of the past and the failures that have arisen from time to time, and given to us anew the promises of God, inasmuch as we will do our Father's bidding and keep His commandments. If we will do this God will right our battles; we shall not be compelled to shed blood, but, by the means prescribed by the Master, we shall establish His Latter-day Zion upon the basis of the legitimate possession of the soil and in the improvements that shall be made thereon, the result of that industry and determination which successfully builds empires and ennobles the people who live within those empires. One subject upon which I desire to speak to you for a short period of time is the question of the finishing of the Brigham Young monument. About one-half of that which we contracted to pay through our committee has been paid for the construction of that monument. The part that has been paid for, according to the claim of the artist, is the work of modeling, and not the work of casting the statue of President Young and the other figures

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that are to adorn the monument. We would have you remember that the monument is only about half completed at the present time. There are other figures to be placed upon it. I believe that the brethren and sisters have not recognized their responsibility in connection with this matter as fully as they should. Many have done their full duty in connection with it. On the other hand, hundreds and perhaps thousands of the people have not given that aid which they should do towards the completion of that structure. I take the view that it was the will of the Presidency of the Church that that work should be done, or it would not have been attempted. It has proceeded thus far. It now needs completion. The gentleman who did the work has been extremely modest in his demands so far, but now he begins to feel that he should have some consideration for the work done. I believe that he should. The statue was placed in position really without his consent, as he believed that it would result in a stoppage upon the part of the people, contributing the necessary funds. But the committee felt that the people within our borders who admire the character of the sturdy men who laid the foundation of these western commonwealths, would readily respond to the obligations that attached to the construction of that monument. I fully believe myself that such will be the ease when the people shall fully understand the situation. I trust, my brothers and sisters, that we will show the same loyalty, devotion and earnestness in connection with this work that has characterized some of the men, who in their lives have fought President Young's work in this intermountain region, but who recognize the worth of his great character and the sturdy strength and undying will of the noble band who, in connection with him, laid the foundation of these commonwealths and put us in the exalted station that we occupy today in the world's history, especially in the history of the western part of the United States. There remains unpaid about one-half of the means that was originally deemed necessary to complete that work. It has been distributed among the Stakes, and to the credit of a few Stakes, let it be said they have fulfilled their full part in regard to this matter. Such has been the case with Maricopa Stake, Snowflake Stake, and Tooele Stake; and some of the other Stakes have nearly paid the proportion that was allotted to them. I realize that there exists in the minds of quite a number of people a feeling that the scriptures forbid the construction of monuments, from the fact that it is said somewhere in the Bible that we should not make any graven images to worship them. Because of this, prejudice has been aroused in the minds of some people, and has without doubt restrained a few from the fulfillment of their part in connection with this work. It seems to me that this is not proper on the part of any one. There is not one of us, I presume, that would for a moment, as we pass the structure upon which stands the statue of President Young, bow our heads in any sense to worship that image, which represents this heroic character of the past. But, when reading the names that are inscribed upon that stone, each one should recognize the efforts made by that noble band, the sufferings they endured and their determination to give to their people and the down-trodden of every section of the world that might desire it, the opportunities and privileges presented in the development of this western country, and acknowledge that they fulfilled their mission In honor and with credit to the cause which they represented. I am one of those who believe that nations can do no more good in developing the patriotism of their sons and daughters than in the recording of the heroic deeds of valor in war, in statesmanship, in the laying of the foundations of commonwealths, and in the development of the temporal and spiritual

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interests of the people. As I pass among the cities of the world, I note with pride the evidences of the worth in which scholars have been held by the people among whom they have lived, or by the people who, after their death have discovered their merits in the things they have written, in the laws they have sought to enact and in the spirit that has been impressed upon the hearts of people who have become imbued with their thoughts and actions. The Latter-day Saints desire to have stamped upon the souls of their sons and daughters the same heroic aspirations, the same undying devotion to the principles of justice, mercy and true religion that characterized that band of men who laid the foundations of our commonwealth and opened the door for the successes that have come to the homes of the people of Utah, of Idaho, of Wyoming, of Colorado, of Arizona, of Nevada, California, of Oregon and of Washington. They laid the foundation of the village system, which put us in possession of the enjoyment of privileges that few other sections of the world have. Other peoples have separated the city from the country, but with us it is a combination of the city and country. I trust that no man will raise his voice against the completion of that work, and fail in any sense to perform his whole part in seeing that the men who did this work shall be held in memory, and that our sons and daughters, as they look upon the one who acted the chief part in connection with the development of this work, shall see in that figure and form that which is emblematic of the hero, who exhibited the powers of the statesman, the leader, the guide, the pioneer, and who did all upon the basis of his love for God and in harmony with His divine law. Wherever we may go in the world and study the conditions of civilization, we shall find written the deeds of their heroic and capable sons. While I am not one of those who are given to man-worship, nor do I have any inclination to bow down before any being, except my God, I recognize the inspiration of the heroic deeds done in the interest of country, in the interest of religion, in the interest of science, in the interest of civil government in its best forms, and in the extension of the principles of liberty and the opening of the doors by which the unfortunate can enjoy privileges that under other conditions would be denied them. The people of Utah are among the best and brightest of the world. Her educational system came from the experience of men schooled in adversity, developed and prepared for the mission they had to perform under the direction of Almighty God, and their names will be written on high by that Master whom they serve. We, their sons and daughters, and they who have received the benefits of their ministrations and labors, can do no more kindly or thoughtful act than to present to our children, In the form of a monument such as this, the evidence of the esteem in which they were held and the work they accomplished for the interest and well-being of the human race. I rejoice when I see the names of the Father of our country and that grand body of men who developed the interests of our nation lauded and held in high esteem. I rejoice when I see the nation respect and honor those who have maintained the integrity and honor of the nation in other lands, and whose heroic deeds have been for the blessing and not for the hurt of their fellows. I trust that the same spirit and feeling shall guide the Latter-day Saints in this mountain region, in obeying the law of God, loving the principles of righteousness, determined to be Just and generous to their fellowmen, and remembering in every walk of life the rights and privileges that are theirs in common with their fellows, without fear of the frowns or of the favors of any. It is our right to believe in God; it is our right to honor Brigham Young and the pioneers

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who laid the foundations of this commonwealth. It is our right to fulfill the obligations and duties that rest upon us as men, in honor before our maker. It is our duty to obey the laws of our country, and follow the rules of public policy that govern the best interests and well-being of the nation in which we live. It is our duty to be just, to be generous, to be upright and consistent in all our ways. Perhaps this is enough from me upon this question. I believe you will sustain your Presidents of Stakes and Bishops by seeing to it that the district in which you reside fulfills its part, and that there should be no question In the minds of any man or woman but that they have done their part in seeking to sustain the good names of the heroic band whose hearts were in accord with the Spirit of God and whose guiding and directing wish was the betterment of the human race and the salvation of the Latter-day Saints. There is another little item upon which I wish to speak to you for a brief time, and that is upon the question of the amusements of the Latter-day Saints. I am one of those who believe that legitimate and proper amusement should always be provided for the young, for the middle-aged and for the aged among the Saints. I endorse the action with all my heart of the Prophet Joseph, in permitting to be utilized the mimic stage as a means of education among the people. I endorse with all my heart the continued effort of President Brigham Young and his associates in seeking to put within the reach of all classes legitimate and proper amusements, and to have the play house under proper control. I rejoice in the establishment of proper places where the young and the aged can mingle together and the former be under the restraining influence of the more mature. But I see that there is a tendency in relation to amusements that forbodes evil to the moral well-being of our community, and it is based, in my judgment, upon the action of the older persons in our communities withdrawing themselves from association with the young. This should not be. The young should have their amusements under the eye of the more mature. And their thoughtful judgment should be exercised to restrain them from the perpetration of evil. I remember that among the very latest days of the life of President Young he was found with us in the Social Hall. When I was a boy, he was found with us in the Fourteenth Ward hall, in the Thirteenth Ward hall, and in the various halls of the city, as much as it was possible for him to be. But I discover as I mingle with the young and enter their places of amusement, a tendency in the direction of neglect in this respect. This is working an injury that many of us will regret later in life, if we do not guard more carefully the well-being of our sons and daughters until they shall reach that period of life when they shall more wisely consider and more fully weigh the possibilities of temptation and evil that lie in the way of the thoughtless and imprudent. I trust that the spirit to guard and direct our sons and daughters in wisdom and prudence will characterize the lives of fathers and mothers and the presiding authorities in the Church, always striving to maintain that degree of decorum and that consistency and prudence that should govern the lives of those who are building not alone for the present, but also for the future, that in time to come their children may stand accepted in the presence of God.

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I bear my testimony to the truth of the law of God directing the collection of means for establishing His work. Possibly no man has been so extreme In his judgment upon this matter as myself, under some circumstances; for In one of the Stakes of Zion some months ago, I presumed to say to the authorities of that Stake that if there was an officer there who was not prepared to accept the law of tithing, so far as I was concerned as a representative of the Presidency of this Church, I was there to accept his resignation. I believe upon this question that if there are presiding authorities in the Church of Christ who will not obey that law and fulfill its obligations, their place is among the ranks, where they may be taught and instructed by some one willing to fulfill the law -- a law which opens the doorway to the companionship of the just and the good in time to come. I bear my witness to the truth of this work, to the truth of every principle God has revealed, and to the truth of that law which He has established by which the borders of Zion are to be lengthened, her cords strengthened, her temples completed, and her Presiding authorities to have the means to fulfill the mission and responsibility placed upon them by the Divine One. Amen. The choir sang: "Captain of Israel's host and guide." Benediction by Elder Seymour B. Young.

SECOND DAY AFTERNOON MEETING

The choir sang the hymn which begins: "Glorious things are sung of Zion, Enoch's city seen of old, Where the righteous, being perfect, Walked with God in streets of gold." Prayer by Elder Louis A. Kelsch. Singing by the choir: "Glory to God on high; Let heaven and earth reply, Praise ye His name."

ELDER F. M. LYMAN

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Nature of the Law of Tithing -- Its Requirements have been Widely Ignored -- Effects of Obedience, to It -- Forgiveness retries Through Repentance -- Offerings of the Saints -The Obligation of Obedience -- That which Is Temporal and Spiritual Inseparable -- How Eternal Inheritances are Obtained. My brethren and sisters: I pray that the Spirit of the Lord may be with us this afternoon, as It has been so abundantly with our brethren, and that we may have the liberty of that Spirit in speaking and in listening, and profit by what the Lord may please to give us. Time is very precious, and this is a very large congregation, and without the help of the Lord, it is not possible for an Elder to edify this intelligent audience. We have been listening to the instruction of President Snow and his brethren In the various Stakes of Zion, particularly upon the law of tithing, in such a way, possibly, as it has not been brought before the people in the past. There is a time for all things, and it appears as though the time has come when the Latter-day Saints should give particular attention to this important law. The condition of the people individually, as well as the condition of the Church, has made it necessary for the Lord to announce through His servants that we must out ourselves right with regard to this principle. Like all the other principles of the Gospel, it is vital and very important, and it is not alone that the foundations of Zion may be laid and the obligations of the Church be met, as they needed to be met in 1838, when the Lord was besought by the Prophet Joseph to know how much was necessary of the property of the people for a tithing. It Is not an unusual thing for the Prophet to approach the Lord in times of necessity and when It appears plain to the mind of the Prophet that something needs to be done. We could not tell without the inspiration of the Lord what resources there were for the Church to rely upon, but how simple and plain it Is when the Lord announces that if Israel will bring in all their tithes and offerings, that there may be meat In the storehouse of the Lord, He will open the windows of Heaven and pour out a blessing that we shall hardly be able to contain. The necessities of the people today in these valleys, the things that we are suffering, the early frosts that have destroyed quite a percentage of the crops of the people In the higher valleys. the loss in the fruit crop, all admonish us that we need a blessing from the Lord. It has been discovered, as the records of the Church abundantly show, that quite a percentage of the Latter-day Saints have entirely Ignored this law of tithing. Twenty-five percent have neglected it altogether. What right have we in the Church if we are not willing to obey the laws of the Church? As well might we think of being members in good standing and fellowship, if we had failed to receive baptism of the water and of the Spirit, or if we refused to gather together or to preach the Gospel. Without the law of tithing, as we heard from the President this morning, these temples could not have been built. What has been done towards the laying of the foundations of Zion could not have been accomplished without the revenue law of the Church. And it is a most reasonable law. I believe that I have discovered, as well as my brethren, why the Lord has determined that one-tenth of our interest annually should be required for a tithing. I understand it to be for the reason that that

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amount is Just exactly what is necessary to accomplish the purposes of the Lord. Less than that is insufficient. Tithing has been known among the people of Israel from the early ages. It has been proven not only among the people that have occupied this earth, but among people who have occupied other earths than this. It is a law that has been demonstrated in the experience of the children of God through all past ages, and it is understood that one-tenth is just the amount necessary to meet the requirements of the Lord. How much allowance the Lord has made, in His reckoning, for those who, being without faith, will be negligent and will not have the strength and power of character to endure, I am not able to say. But He has no doubt established it as the very amount that is absolutely necessary for the purposes of the Lord. It is also just exactly the amount that is necessary to try the souls of the children of men and to prove them. Men who can observe that law and live it properly will be prepared to graduate unto a higher plane, which they must do before the redemption of Zion. Before we enter upon the law of consecration, which is the celestial law of God in finance, it is necessary that we should take the training that we are now having under the law of tithing. You may be certain, my brethren and sisters, that any person who is not able to observe this law faithfully and well will never, worlds without end, be able to observe the law of consecration. The law of tithing is a stepping stone, and it is a law that will abide forever, because a great majority possibly of the children of God will not be able to reach the higher law. Since President Snow has been talking so plainly upon this subject, there have been a class of people who have undertaken to take advantage of his promise to the Latter-day Saints in regard to this law, that if for the future they would observe this law faithfully the past should be forgiven. There have been men guilty of breaches of the laws of morality and honesty who have claimed that if they now pay their tithing all their sins will be forgiven them. President Snow never announced any such doctrine as that. He could not announce such a doctrine as that. But the Lord is perfectly able to say to us that if we will observe this law of finance, which we have been under now for over sixty years, for the future and keep this commandment our past negligence of the law of tithing will be forgiven. He is competent also to say that if we will repent of our sins and serve God with all our hearts for the future, our sins will be forgiven us; but not otherwise. The forgiveness of sins is predicated upon faith in God, repentance and reformation and baptism. Sins are not forgiven through the payment of tithing, nor through the partaking of the sacrament, nor observing the Word of Wisdom, or prayer. There are blessings attached to each of these important requirements of the Gospel; but if a man would have his sins forgiven, and be allowed to enter into the Church, he must have faith in God, and in His Son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost, he must repent of all his sins, turn unto the Lord with full purpose of heart and sin no more. Then God will forgive him and redeem him from his sins; but not by paying tithing. By the payment of tithing the foundations of Zion are laid, and up to the present time our tithing has been paid to accomplish what we now see done in a temporal way. The offerings also have been generous enough to perform a great work, for we have paid offerings as well as tithing. We have made offerings of our time, in preaching the Gospel to the world without

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purse or scrip. We have made offerings for the building of temples, for the erection of meeting houses and for other public works that have been accomplished among the Latter-day Saints. By our offerings the poor have been reasonably cared for, and if our offerings were as generous as they ought to be no poor person among the Latter-day Saints would ever have to cry for relief without receiving it freely. But we want our names recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life, and it is not done by the observance of any one principle alone, but to every principle there are special blessings promised. There are, in the records of the Church today, the names of every man, woman and child who has given of their means for tithing. Those records can be scanned and our faith and works can be understood by the Presidency of the Church. And we ought to be known; we want to be known. We want to be recognized, not alone as having a name among the people, but as being faithful, devoted, humble and obedient. Obedience is the first law of God. It is most important that we should be obedient to the word and will of the Lord. It was that which entitled the Son of God to be anointed above His brethren; for He was in all things most perfect and obedient. He put not forth His own will, but He submitted to the will of the Father in all things, even to the laying down of His life, in order that He might be indeed the Son of God, the Savior of the world. He has earned that important position, and through the shedding of His blood and His atonement we are redeemed. By humility and faith and repentance we obtain the forgiveness of our sins, and are entitled to have our names upon the records of the Church as members of the Church. But that fact does not demonstrate particularly any very important work that we have accomplished in sustaining the work of the Lord. By it we are entitled to enter in, but after we have been recorded members of the Church we must then work out our salvation and earn eternal life, for it is not obtained without earning it. The Lord is not going to give us everything without our doing something. He requires of us a broken heart, a contrite spirit, an obedience to the mind and will of the word. And this is reasonable. How generous the Lord is to us when He declares through His prophet, "if from this time forth you will do my will with regard to the law of tithing, the past shall be blotted out." It is not only generous, but it is reasonable and philosophical. The object of the Lord is the salvation of the people, and if He should come out with a revelation today, saying that the Latter-day Saints must square up all their back tithing, do you think they could do it? No. It could not be done, any more than a man could gather up the sins he has committed and blot them out. They are committed, and we cannot change the fact that they are committed. We may be forgiven, we may be redeemed, they may be finally blotted out, if our repentance is genuine and we do not return to our sins again; but it is done through the atoning blood of the Lord Jesus. No man can forgive his own sins, no man can redeem himself from his sins. Neither can any man pay his back tithing, if he has been a member of this Church forty or fifty years and been paying only part of his tithing all that time, and possibly paying none at all. The Lord would not require such a thing, because He knows the Latter-day Saints could not do it. Why, It is all they can do to pay their tithing today. Sufficient for the day is the tithing thereof; sufficient for the day are the offerings thereof; sufficient for the day are the

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labors thereof; sufficient for the day is the repentance and reformation required of men. They cannot do two days in one. Yesterday has gone for ever. We cannot recall it, any more than we can bring to us tomorrow; tomorrow will always be ahead of us. Today is the day of salvation, and the day in which all our labors must be performed. Therefore we want to remember that He hath forgiven the past, thank the Lord. But do not let you or I regret if we have been among that number who have paid their tithing reasonably well, and feel sorry that we did not keep our tithing back so that we could be forgiven. For there is an advantage, there is a blessing and an enlargement of the soul that comes to the man who obeys the word and will of the Lord. It is better that we have done God's will than that we should have need to be forgiven for neglecting it. It is better not to have been a sinner. It is better that our sins should be very light, and not of a serious nature than that they should be deadly sins. It is better that we should live without sin, and be like the Son of God. It is not necessary that we should be sinners. God has designed that we should not be sinners, but that we should live lives of purity and righteousness and walk in obedience to His will, as the Savior did. The Lord desires, just as you desire, every one of your children to be obedient, honest and pure. You do not want them defiled and dishonest, in order that you may forgive them. Therefore I say to my brethren and sisters who have paid their tithing and have little or nothing to be forgiven for in that respect, thank the Lord, and only wish that there was nothing that you had need to be forgiven for, and that you had done the will of the Lord most perfectly. A great many of the Latter-day Saints have done very well. Thank the Lord for what has been accomplished since last May; thank the Lord that the people have listened, and that you have had testimonies in your hearts, as well as President Snow. You are entitled to know for yourselves. Every one of these Apostles knows that President Snow's testimony is from the Lord, for He has told us. We comprehend it most thoroughly; so does every Latter-day Saint who has done the will of the Lord. Every Latter-day Saint who has now decided and determined to do the will of the Lord also knows it. Those who do the will of the Lord In the future shall also know that God has spoken through President Snow. It is his particular mission and ministry to set right the Latter-day Saints in regard to this particular law -- not to neglect any other and not to say that men's sins will be forgiven them if they pay their tithing. That is a mistake, and only transgressors have concluded that Bishops and the authorities of the Church have no right to handle them now for their transgressions, because President Snow has said that the past should be forgiven. He has only said that the past should be forgiven, so far as the payment of tithing was concerned. Thank the Lord that we may be forgiven for that. Do you not remember when the Salt Lake Temple was dedicated in 1893, how everybody was allowed to go in there, transgressors and all, because their names were upon the record and they had not been dealt with? The Prophet Wilford Woodruff announced then that the sins of the Latter-day Saints were forgiven them; but who are Latter-day Saints? Who are the men and women to whom President Woodruff referred? Any man who had not repented? No. Any man who had not made satisfaction? No. He was only announcing that the work you and I are engaged in is genuine, and that in our repentance and reformation

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there was vitality and virtue, and that we were forgiven so far as we had complied with these laws. He never meant that a man who was an adulterer, or horse thief, was to be forgiven because he went into that Temple, without having made satisfaction or having repented. President Woodruff could not say that; no Prophet could say it. The Father could not say it, only upon the principles of repentance, reformation and righteousness -- not a repentance for a little season, but to obtain forgiveness for our sins we must sin no more. We must not turn like the dog to his vomit or the sow to her wallowing in the mire, but we must reform and then labor as the Lord directs, then He will gladly forgive us, just as He will now cancel our obligations in regard to tithing, if for the future we will do the will of the Lord. Let our names be recorded upon the book of the law of the Lord, where they can be seen and known, and let the conscience of every man, woman and child be clear and free. Why, when we look over the records now, we find men in high positions in the Church who have been very careless and censurable in regard to the law of tithing. No doubt many have entered into the Temples of the Lord who have never done a single thing to help erect or maintain them. We want to repent of these things. We need not be afraid in regard to the Church; we have no need to be disturbed or worried in regard to the obligations of the Church. What should disturb us is our individual obligations to the Lord and to one another. Deal honestly and squarely with the Lord, and you will very readily be able to deal honestly and squarely with your brethren. Let us meet our obligations to the Lord, for to Him we owe life and everything we possess. He has entrusted us with it as stewards, and we want to make good our stewardship. The talents that He has entrusted us with let us turn them over and double them. Do not bury them, nor hide them up, but invest them so that they will increase. The Lord requires this of us. The man who pays his tithing by the thousands or by the hundreds is not the only one that is acceptable to the Lord. The one who pays his fives, his tens, or his fifties -- the tithing on whatever the Lord blesses him with -- is acceptable to the Lord also. The Lord does not expect a man with one talent to turn over ten. If he returned two he Is doing wonderfully well. He does not expect a man with two talents to turn over ten, but four. He expects men to employ their talents and to make good use of them. He does not look with favor upon a slothful servant, because it is wicked to be slothful and idle. We want to be industrious and persevering and see how much we can do in this life with the talents that God has intrusted us with; then we will be acceptable to Him. The widow's mite, thank the Lord, is as large as the millionaire's great amount of means that he may turn over: for out of her little she gives whatever she possesses in order to assist the work of the Lord. Let the Latter-day Saints remember that we have undertaken to strive for the celestial kingdom. We desire an Inheritance on this earth when it is celestialized. We expect an inheritance in Zion, but in order that we may have this inheritance, we are not only required to come into the Church by baptism and confirmation and to receive our ordinations and blessings, but we are expected to be a prayerful people, a people who will observe the Word of Wisdom, who will live pure lives and keep the commandments of the Lord. We are expected to bear the burdens and responsibilities of the kingdom, temporal as well as spiritual. We are In a temporal world, and this is a church of material things as well as

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spiritual things. We cannot divide the temporal from the spiritual, the body from the spirit and stay here. They go unitedly, hand in hand, and will do throughout mortality, and then throughout all the ages of eternity. Men are not perfect without immortality and eternal life. They cannot meet the design of God without accomplishing what the Lord has laid before us. This is the Lord's work. It is not the work of our brethren who have passed away. They have finished their work here. They have gone to their reward, having earned eternal life. We remain, and we are to prove our faithfulness and devotion and our endurance in the principles of righteousness. The Lord will sustain us; this work will continue; and we will gain in strength and numbers all the time. We are spreading abroad and becoming more numerous in every ward, in every stake, and in every nation where we live. The Lord is working with us, and is handling the nations. He Is handling this nation and directing it in its operations to extend liberty among the people of the world. The Gospel will be in the track of religious liberty, and will be carried to every people. I desire to read the 7th verse in the 85th Section of the book of Doctrine and Covenants. The preceding verses speak in relation to the duty of the Lord's clerk in Zion. At present the Lord has clerks in all the Stakes of Zion and in all the Wards in Zion and the history of our faith and works is being kept. It is important that these records should be kept and correctly kept. A singular thing that I have noticed here (perhaps you have noticed it as well) is that it is not only necessary that our names should be found of record, but it is necessary that our fathers' names should also be found of record, as well as the names of our children. It seems that when the inheritances in Zion are divided out, those whose names are recorded with the names of their fathers and of their children -- three generations -- are to be entitled to inheritances in Zion: "And it shall come to pass that I, the Lord God, will send one mighty and strong, holding the sceptre of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, eternal words; while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth, to set in order the house of God, and to arrange by lot the inheritances of the Saints, whose names are found, and the names of their fathers, and of their children, enrolled in the book of the law of God." I have felt it important, not only that I should be faithful, but that my children should be faithful, and also my progenitors, as an evidence that there is stability, virtue and integrity in that line of blood: that there is fidelity and faithfulness at least in three generations, who shall be found recorded in the book of the law of God. I am anxious for my kindred and my posterity. I am not satisfied to be alone. I want my family, my kindred and my friends with me; hence I desire to be exemplary and to use my influence with them, that they also may have a worthy record, and not be cast out for apostasy or any other reason, but that together the three generations may be found recorded and be entitled to an inheritance in Zion. If, however, our names are not found recorded in the book of the law of God, we shall not be

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entitled to an inheritance in Zion. We want an inheritance on this earth. We want a part of the earth for our celestial home and we want to earn it. We cannot get it otherwise. As the President said today, Zion cannot be redeemed but by purchase. Let me say to you that your redemption and mine cometh only by purchase. We must earn what we expect to enjoy. We must redeem our part of Zion, and as the whole people we must redeem the land of Zion. We are promised an eternal inheritance in the land of Zion, but we cannot get it by any one law alone. We cannot get it by tithing alone. A man cannot say that he has paid his tithing generously and freely, and now he has liberty to do just as he pleases. He must not only keep the law of tithing properly, but he must also keep his repentance genuine and eternal. His devotion and faithfulness to the Lord in every other respect must be maintained in addition to the payment of tithing. We have but a little time to live on this earth. Why can we not endure just for a few fleeting years, that will be less than a day to us hereafter? Fifty, seventy, eighty, or a hundred years, we will look upon as but a span when we shall have entered into eternity, the depth and height of which cannot be known in mortality. The suffering and the little difficulties and evil which beset us In this life, and which try our very souls, will be counted as naught hereafter. We will only wonder that we were ever shaken or disturbed at all by the little things that afflicted us. Brethren and sisters, you have our testimony in regard to this principle. We know that it is important. It is not a new thing that the Lord should be robbed in His tithes and His offerings. It is not a new thing that the word of the Lord should come through a Prophet. It came through the Prophet Joseph when the law of tithing was revealed. It came through him when the law of consecration was revealed and on a hundred other occasions. Many revelations the Lord gave through him, and they have been written. Hundreds of times has the word of the Lord been given through President Brigham Young, the Prophet and lion of the Lord, and through President John Taylor and through President Wilford Woodruff. There is nothing that the Lord requires of His people that the Prophet of the Lord will hesitate to present when it is necessary. He is the chief man upon the towers of Zion, to warn the people, and when a warning comes there is a reason for it; there are conditions just confronting us that we know not of, and perhaps they are not told to us. We cannot tell you what is coming just now, but there are important conditions just in front of us as the people of God, and it is necessary that the Prophet should take the very stand that he has in regard to this law, for our safety, for the redemption of Zion, for the accomplishment of the purposes of God in the last days. Thank the Lord that we have a prophet; that we can approach him and learn what his mind and will is and receive it as we have received it in all plainness. And when the Lord speaks to His servant the Prophet, He speaks to all the Prophets. President Snow is not alone, but he is surrounded by Prophets of the Lord, and they have the very same testimony abiding in their souls. They know that this is God's work, and they have not been mistaken. They have been leading the people all the time, and the Lord has directed them. He will do so to the end. Thank the Lord that we have Prophets; thank the Lord that this congregation is full of men of prophecy and of revelation. And they are in the missions abroad, as well as at home. The world is enlivened today with men of inspiration from God. They speak revelation. They give forth the word of the Lord, they bear testimony, strong and

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powerful, to the nations of the earth. In this way the purposes of God are progressing and advancing, and His work will be accomplished. No power on earth can stay it, for it is God's work. Man has not originated it. It is the work of our Eternal Father who dwells in the Heavens. There is power and virtue in it for the salvation of men, and it is true and vital. God bless you, my brethren and sisters. Let us be faithful and endure but for a little season, and our day of rest and peace and welcome into the presence of the Father and the Son will be sure. Amen.

PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH

Objects of the Law of Tithing -- The same Law in Ancient Times -- Duty of the Leaders of the Church in Relation to it -- Disastrous Effects of Neglect and Beneficent Results of Obedience. I desire sincerely that my brethren and sisters will exert their faith in my behalf, that I may be able to speak words of advice, of counsel and of warning, as the Spirit of the Lord may direct. We have had much valuable instruction in relation to our duties as Latter-day Saints, not only concerning the law of tithing, but also in reference to other things, which are as important in their place as the law of tithing. There is nothing, however, of greater importance to the welfare of the Church at present than the consideration of this law, by which means will be placed In the storehouse of the Lord, to meet the necessities of the people. My eye fell upon a passage in the Book of Mormon, which speaks of a circumstance relative to the payment of tithing. I will refer to it by and by. It is one of the first that we have any record of in ancient days. I have no doubt that the law of tithing has always existed when the Lord had a people on the earth. The purpose of the law of tithing is similar to that of the law of revenue which is enacted by every State, every county and every municipality in the world, I suppose. There is no such thing as an organization of men for any purpose of importance, without provisions for carrying out its designs. The law of tithing is the law of revenue for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Without it it would be impossible to carry on the purposes of the Lord. I want to read to you one of the objects for which the law of tithing is given. It is recorded in Section 83 of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. The Lord said to the Prophet Joseph at Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, April 30, 1832: "Verily, thus saith the Lord, in addition to the laws of the Church concerning women and children, those who belong to the Church, who have lost their husbands or fathers. "Women have claim upon their husbands for their maintenance until their husbands are taken, and if they are not found transgressors they shall have fellowship in the Church;

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"And if they are not faithful, they shall not have fellowship in the Church; yet they may remain upon their inheritances according to the laws of the land. "All children have claim upon their parents for their maintenance until they are of age. "And after that they have claim upon the Church, or in other words upon the Lord's storehouse, if their parents have not wherewith to give them inheritances. "And the storehouse shall be kept by the consecrations of the Church, and widows and orphans shall be provided for, as also the poor. Amen." Here is one of the great purposes for which the law of tithing is instituted in the Church, It is intended that the widows shall be looked after when they are in need, and that the fatherless and the orphans shall be provided for from the funds of the Church; that they shall be clothed and fed, and shall have opportunity for education, the same as other children who have parents to look after them. When a child is fatherless and motherless the Church becomes the parent of that child, and it is obligatory upon the Church to take care of it, and to see that it has opportunities equal with the other children in the Church. This is a great responsibility. Have we ever seen the day since the Church was organized when we could carry out this purpose of the Lord fully, and to our heart's content? We have not, because we never have had the means to do it with. But if men will obey the laws of God so that there shall be abundance in the storehouse of the Lord, we will have wherewith to feed and clothe the poor and the orphan and to look after those who are in need in the Church. Our brethren will not have to join these secret associations that are formed in the world, for the purpose of leaving a few thousand dollars to their widows when they die. If we will pay our tithes and our offerings we will lay up for ourselves treasure in the storehouse of God, by which our widows and our children will be cared for after we are dead, and far better than they will be by these associations that offer premiums on death. I mention this simply incidentally. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is good enough for me and my family, and I have no time or means to associate myself with organizations that are not of this Church and which have simply for their object the laying up of something for my wife to have after I am dead. I cannot afford to do it, for this reason; the Lord has seen fit to give me from day to day just sufficient for my needs, and if I were to join these associations for the purpose of looking after the future of my family, I would be compelled to neglect paying my tithing, and present duties, because I would not have means enough to pay my tithing and my dues for these associations. We have known members of the Church, who when they were asked why they did not pay their tithing, confessed that they were associated with organizations of one kind and another, wherein they were compelled to pay weekly or monthly certain sums of money; they had been associated with these institutions for a number of years and had put quite a lot of money in them, and now if they did not continue to pay their dues they would lose all they had put in, then in case of death their families would lose the premium. From this you can see they are in bondage to these secret organizations, and if they want to pay

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tithing they cannot do it. Well, if they do not they will be among those whose names will not be found recorded in the book of the Law of the Lord and who will not have inheritance in the Zion of God. Furthermore, we have called some of these men to go on missions, but they could not go to preach the Gospel to the nations of the earth, why? Because they belonged to certain secret associations, and they were compelled to be at work all the time in order to pay their dues, or they would lose what they had put in them. I want to say to the Later-day Saints that Zion and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are good enough for me and my family. I do not want any of these associations for the purpose of laying up money. If there were any other object in them by which I might be able to do good in the world, that might be an inducement. But I cannot afford to join any association simply for the purpose of laying up money to be received when I am dead. I am willing to trust my people in the hands of the Lord, just as I have been in the hands of the Lord from the beginning. Now I will read a little from the Book of Mormon in regard to the law of tithing as it existed in ancient days. The Prophet Alma, in his 13th chapter, commencing at the 14th verse says: "14. Yea, humble yourself even as the people in the days of Melchisedek, who was also a High Priest after this same order, which I have spoken, who also took upon him the High Priesthood forever. "15. And it was the same Melchisedek to whom Abraham paid tithes; yea, even our leather Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth of all he possesed. "16. Now these ordinances were given after this manner, that thereby the people might look forward on the Son of God, it being a type of his order, or it being his order; and this, that they might look forward to him for a remission of their sins, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord. "17. Now this Melchisedek was a king over the land of Salem; and his people Waxed strong in iniquity and abominations; yea, they had all gone astray; they were full of all manner of wickedness: "18. But Melchisedek having exercised mighty faith, and received the office of the High Priesthood, according to the holy order of God, did preach repentance unto his people. And behold, they did repent; and Melchisedek did establish peace in the land in his days; therefore he was called the prince of peace, for he was the king of Salem; and he did reign under his father. "19. Now, there were many before him, and also there were many afterwards, but none were greater: therefore, of him they have more particularly made mention."

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I desire now to read a few words in relation to the duty which devolves upon the men who have been speaking during this conference. I will read a portion of the 41st Section of the Doctrine and Covenants: "Hearken and hear, oh ye my people, saith the Lord and your God, ye whom I delight to bless with the greatest blessings, ye that hear me; and ye that hear me not will I curse, that have professed by name, with the heaviest of all cursings. "2. Hearken, O ye Elders of my Church whom I have called; behold I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall assemble yourselves together to agree upon my word, "3. And by the prayer of your faith ye shall receive my law, that ye may know how to govern my Church, and have all things right before me. "4. And I will be your ruler when I come; and behold, I come quickly, and ye shall see that my law is kept." The Lord here especially demands of the men who stand at the head of this Church and who are responsible for the guidance and direction of the people of God that they shall see to it that the law of God is kept. It is our duty to do this, We are not talking to you about paying your tithing because it is a pleasure to do so, or because we desire to harp upon that principle; but we are doing it because the necessities of the people are such that it becomes obligatory upon the leaders of the Church to say something upon this principle, that not only the people may do their duty in regard to this law, but that there may be something in the storehouse of the Lord with which to meet the necessities of the people; for the necessities of the Church are the necessities of the people. The members of the Church constitute the Church, and therefore whatever obligation the Church is under, it rests upon each individual member of the Church proportionate to his means. The Lord requires of us that we shall see that His law is kept among the people. This is one of the principle reasons why we are talking to you as we are. In Section 82 of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord speaking to the Church says: "Verily, verily I say unto you my servants that inasmuch as ye have forgiven one another your trespasses, even so I, the Lord, forgive you. "2. Nevertheless there are those among you who have sinned exceedingly; yea, even all of you have sinned, but verily I say unto you, beware from henceforth, and refrain from sin, lest sore judgments fail upon your heads; "3. For unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation.

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"4. Ye call upon my name for revelations, and I give them unto you; and inasmuch as ye keep not my sayings, which I give unto you, ye become transgressors, and justice and judgment are the penalty which is affixed unto my law; "5. Therefore, what I say unto one I say unto all, watch, for the adversary spreadeth his dominions and darkness reigneth; "6. And the anger of the Lord kindleth against the inhabitants of the earth; and none doeth good, for all have gone out of the way. "7. And now, verily I say unto you, I the Lord, will not lay any sin to your charge; go your ways and sin no more; but unto that soul who sinneth shall the former sins return, saith the Lord your God. "8. And again, I say unto you, I give unto you a new commandment, that you may understand my will concerning you. "9. Or in other words I will give unto you directions how you may act before me, that it may turn to you for your salvation. "10. I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise." Now, Brother Lyman has been talking to you about the remission of sins. When we commit sin, it is necessary that we repent of it and make restitution as far as lies in our power. When we cannot make restitution for the wrong we have done then we must apply for the grace and mercy of God to cleanse us from that iniquity. Men cannot forgive their own sins; they cannot cleanse themselves from the consequences of their sins. Men can stop sinning and can do right in the future, and so far their acts are acceptable before the Lord and worthy of consideration. But who shall repair the wrongs they have done to themselves and to others, which it seems impossible for them to repair themselves? By the atonement of Jesus Christ, the sins of the repentant shall be washed away, though they he crimson they shall be made white as wool. This is the promise given to you through the President of the Church today. We who have not paid our tithing in the past, and are therefore under obligations to the Lord, which we are not in a position at present to discharge, he has said to us the Lord requires that no longer at our hands, but will forgive us for the past if we will observe this law honestly in the future. That is generous and kind, and I feel grateful for it. I will read now a few verses from Section 85 of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, commencing at the 9th verse:

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"And all they who are not found written in the book of remembrance, shall find none inheritance in that day, but they shall De cut asunder, and their portion shall be appointed them among unbelievers, where are walling and gnashing of teeth. "These things I say not of myself; therefore, as the Lord speaketh, He will also fulfill. "And they who are of the High Priesthood, whose names are not found written in the book of the law, or that are found to have apostatized, or to have been cut off from the Church; as well as the lesser Priesthood, or the members, in that day, shall not find an inheritance among the Saints of the Most High; "Therefore it shall be done unto them as unto the children of the priests, as will be found recorded in the second chapter and sixty-first and second verses of Ezra." I am going to turn now to Ezra and see what is said there. We read: "61. And the children of the Priests; the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name; "62. These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found, therefore were they, as polluted put from the Priesthood. "63. And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a Priest with Urim and Thummim." This is the position the people will be in when they come to claim an inheritance in Zion, if their names are not found recorded in the book of the law of God. And I want to tell you that this refers directly to the law of tithing. In the first place it referred to the law of consecration, but that law, as has been explained, was not properly kept, and inasmuch as people are under greater condemnation when they keep not the laws that are given them, the Lord in His mercy withdrew from the Latter-day Saints the law of consecration, because the people were not prepared to live it, and as long as it was in force and they kept it not they were under condemnation. The law of tithing was given in its place. Some people may not care very much whether their names are recorded or not, but this comes from ignorance of the consequences. If their names are not recorded they will not only be cut off from the assistance which they would be entitled to from the Church if they needed it, but they will be cut off from the ordinances of the house of God; they will be cut asunder from their dead and from their fathers who have been faithful, or from those who shall come after them who shall be faithful, and they will be appointed their portion with the unbelievers, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. It means that you will be cut off from your fathers and mothers, from your husbands, your wives, your children, and that you

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shall have no portion or lot or inheritance in the kingdom of God, both in time and in eternity. It has a very serious and far reaching effect. It is therefore the more obligatory upon me and upon my fellow-servants in the Church of God to make these matters known to the people, that our skirts may be free from their blood. I need not read to you from Malachi, but I will read something from Amos, who is called one of the lesser Prophets. The Prophet says-and he says it ironically: "4. Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgressions; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years. "5. And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish the free offerings; for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord God. "6. And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places; yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. "7. And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest; and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city; one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. "8. So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied; yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. "9. I have smitten you with blasting and mildew; when your gardens and your vineyards, and your fig trees, and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them; yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. "10. I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt; your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils; yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. "11. I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning; yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. "12. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel; and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. "13. For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, the Lord, the God of Hosts, is His name. "14. Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of

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Israel. "15. The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise; she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up." These were the consequences of disobedience on the part of ancient Israel, the same power reigns today that reigned then. I have referred you to some of the chastisements and promises of punishments upon those who will not hearken unto the Lord nor obey His law. The Latter-day Saints are in the midst of these mountains for the express purpose of serving Almighty God. We have not come here to serve ourselves nor to Serve the world. We are here because we have believed in the Gospel that has been restored in the latter day through the Prophet Joseph Smith. We are here because we believe that God Almighty has organized His Church and has restored the fullness of the Gospel and Holy Priesthood. We are here because we have received the testimony of the Spirit of God that the course which we have pursued in this regard is right and acceptable in the sight of the Lord. We are here because we have come in obedience to the command of the Almighty. Now let me show to you how the Lord poured out blessings upon His people anciently when they obeyed the law of tithing. I will read from the 31st chapter of II Chronicles, commencing at the 5th verse: "5. And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the first fruits of corn, wine and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly." This is in accordance with the law of tithing that was given to the children through Moses, as you may read in the 27th chapter of Leviticus: "And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithes of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the Lord their God, and laid them by heaps. "In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps; and finished them in the seventh month. "And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and His people Israel. "Then Hezekiah questioned with the Priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. "And Azariah the chief Priest, of the house of Zadok, answered him and said, Since

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the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty; for the Lord has blessed His people; and that which is left is this great store." In connection with this passage of scripture I would remind you of the promise made through the Prophet Malachi to the children of Israel: "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of Heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. "And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine east her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts." I know that the Lord will do this to those who fear Him and work righteousness before Him. I refer you now to the 28th chapter of Deut., and also to the 26th chapter of Leviticus. They run almost parallel. I will read from the 28th chapter of Deut: "And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all His commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth. "And all these blessings shall come on thee and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. "Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. "Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. "Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. "Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. "The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face; they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. "The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God

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giveth thee. "The Lord shall establish thee a holy people unto Himself, as He hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in His ways. "And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee. "And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware into thy fathers to give thee. "The Lord shall open unto thee His good treasure, the Heaven to give the rain unto thy land in His season, and to bless all the work of thine hand; and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow." God hasten the day when this people shall be in a position to lend and not be under the necessity of borrowing at all, and I believe the only remedy that is necessary to bring about this result is for the people to observe the law of tithing. If the people of God would pay their tithing honestly we would have abundance with which to build Temples and to maintain the work of the Lord in the Temples; we would have abundance to take care of the widows and orphans and the poor in our midst. We would not have to ask you to donate this little thing and that little thing for the benefit of the poor but we would have enough to meet all of these necessities in my opinion. But as long as some people are disobedient and neglectful in observing this law, those who are willing will of necessity be called upon from time to time to show their further liberality in maintaining the poor. I want to say for the benefit of our friends who may be present that the Latter-day Saints do not ask their non-Mormon neighbors to feed their poor. We do it ourselves and we feed hundreds that are not of us besides. However, those who do not pay their tithing are not entitled to the help that they would be if they paid their tithing. When one comes to a Bishop and asks for assistance because of his or her straightened circumstances, the first thing the Bishop should do is to inquire if he or she is a tithe payer. He should know whether the name is on the book of the law of the Lord, and if not on the book, if he or she has been derelict and negligent in relation to this principle of tithing, he or she has no claim upon the Bishop, neither have their children, and if under those circumstances the Bishop assists him, it will simply be out of pure charity and not because such have any claim upon the Church. That is why the widow who receives assistance from the Church should pay her tithing, so that her name may be on the records of the Church. It is not a law that is applicable to one and not to another. If the rich may not receive blessings because their names are not on the record, then neither shall the poor receive blessings in the house of God if their names are not recorded. So long as a poor person receives his or her support through the tithings of the people, they should be willing to observe the law themselves in order that they may be entitled to what they receive. They should show by their observance of the law that they are law-keepers and not

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law-breakers. Our children, as soon as they become old enough to earn means, should be taught to pay their tithing, that their names may be written in the book of the law of the Lord, so that if perchance their fathers die and they are left orphans, their names, as well as the names of their parents, will be found upon the records and they will as God lives, be entitled to their support and to their education. It is our duty to look after these children and see that they have an equal chance with those who are more favored with parents to look after them. "And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord, thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them." These are the promises that the Lord made to the people of Israel anciently, if they would hearken unto His words and obey His laws. Now, I want to say to you without any hesitancy or fear of successful contradiction, that the words which I have read in your hearing are as applicable to you as they were to the children of Israel. You are modern Israel and they were ancient Israel. The same God spake through His servant Moses that speaks today through His servant Lorenzo Snow. Obedience to the laws of God will produce the same results today that it did anciently. To those who know the history of ancient Israel it is perhaps not necessary for me to say that these words were fulfilled upon Israel. As long as they hearkened to His word, God did prosper them; He did bless their land; He did send them the early and the latter rains; He did multiply them and strengthen them in the land; He did set them on high; He did make them His covenant people, and they became famous throughout the known world. The glory of Solomon reached to the uttermost parts of the earth. The kings and queens of the earth heard of his greatness and of his wisdom. They took pilgrimages to Jerusalem to see for themselves and to verify the reports they had heard of the greatness of the children of Israel. The Queen of Sheba went and saw Solomon in his glory. She heard of the wisdom that fell from his lips and beheld the greatness of his kingdom, and she said to the king: "It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it; and behold, the half was not told me; thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom." I commend to you the careful reading of the remaining portion of this chapter in Deuteronomy. Time will not permit me to read it, but I would like you to read and contemplate it at your leisure, for there you will find, as if written by eye-witnesses, history of the judgments of God that subsequently fell upon the children of Israel, with an accurate account of the downfall and disintegration of the people. They became a hiss and a byword among the nations of the earth. They were broken asunder, they were carried captive into the various nations of the earth; they served under taskmasters; from that day unto the present they have been under the curse of God through disobedience to His laws, and they will remain under that curse of disobedience so long as they fail to repent of their sins and return

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not unto the Lord. But just as soon as they will hearken to the voice of Malachi and return unto the Lord and begin to observe His laws and ordinances, then will be fulfilled the promise of the ancient Prophet that God will open the windows of Heaven and pour out blessings upon them till they will not have room to contain them. But this will not be until they repent and turn unto the Lord. Neither will it he with us until we repent for there are many of us who are just as guilty of disobedience to the laws of God today as were ancient Israel. Some of us, too, who have pretended to do our duty in regard to this law, and who have preached obedience to it, have not kept it. We go to the books, we see the records of men, and in a great measure we know what they have done, and I can tell you that there are men amongst us who stand high in their own estimation and in the estimation of the people, who have never paid their tithing. Yet these men ought to be examples to the people. They ought to be saying to the people, "come follow me, and do the things that I do," but they have not been that class of men, though I trust they will be in the future. I hope that when they pay the tithing of their salaries, they will also pay the tithing on their dividends and on the increase of their flocks and herds, and thus pay an honest tithing. Then we will have abundance in the storehouse of the Lord to meet all the exigencies of the people. May God help us to be faithful is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen. The choir sang: "O come, all ye faithful." Benediction by Elder William T. Jack.

THIRD DAY MORNING MEETING

Sunday, October 8th, 10 a.m. Singing by the choir: Lo! the mighty God appearing, From on high, Jehovah speaks! Eastern lands the summons hearing, O'er the west his thunder breaks. Prayer by Elder Benjamin E. Rich. The choir sang: Zion stands with hills surrounded -Zion, kept by power divine; All her foes shall be confounded, Though the world in arms combine; Happy Zion,

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What a favored lot is thine.

PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON

The Saints the Saviors of Men -- The Unfaithful like Salt that has Lost its Savor -Redemption of Zion may be Deferred by Disobedience -- Prophets and Apostles like other Men - - Responsibility of Parents -- Benign Genius of the Kingdom of God. I will read a portion of the 84th Section of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants: "17. Which Priesthood continueth in the Church of God in all generations, and is without beginning of days or end of years. "18. And the Lord confirmed a Priesthood alas upon Aaron and his, seed, throughout all their generations -- which Priesthood also continueth and abideth forever with the Priesthood, which is after the holiest order of God. "19. And this greater Priesthood administereth the Gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom even the key of the knowledge of God; "20. Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest; "21. And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the Priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh; "22. For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live. "23. Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God; "24. But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence, therefore the Lord in His wrath (for His anger was kindled against them) swore that they should not enter into His rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fullness of His glory. "25. Therefore he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also; "26. And the lesser Priesthood continued, which Priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory Gospel; "27. Which Gospel is the Gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of

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sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord in His wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron among the children of Israel until John, whom God raised up, being filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb; "28. For he was baptized while he was yet In his childhood, and was ordained by the angel of God at the time he was eight days old unto this power, to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews, and to make straight the way of the Lord before the face of His people, to prepare them for the coming of the Lord, in whose hand is given all power. "29. And again, the offices of Elder and Bishop are necessary appendages belonging unto the High Priesthood. "30. And again, the offices of Teacher and Deacon are necessary appendages belonging to the lesser Priesthood, which Priesthood was confirmed upon Aaron and his sons. "31. Therefore, as I said concerning the sons of Moses -- for the sons of Moses, and also the sons of Aaron shall offer an acceptable offering and sacrifice in the house of the Lord, which house shall be built unto the Lord in this generation, upon the consecrated spot as I have appointed; "32. And the sons of Moses and of Aaron shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, upon Mount Zion in the Lord's house, whose sons are ye; and also many whom I have called and sent forth to build up my Church. "33. For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two Priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies; "34. They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the Church and kingdom, and the elect of God; "35. And also all they who receive this Priesthood receiveth me, saith the Lord; "36. For he that receiveth my servants receiveth me; "37. And he that receiveth me receiveth my Father; "38. And he that receiveth my Father, receiveth my Father's, kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him; "39. And this is according to the oath and covenant which belongeth to the Priesthood.

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"40. Therefore, all those who receive the Priesthood, receive this, oath and covenant of my Father, which he cannot break, neither can it he moved; "41. But whoso breaketh this covenant, after he hath received it and altogether turneth therefrom, shall not have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come. "42. And all those who come not unto this Priesthood which ye have received, which I now confirm upon you who are present this day, by mine own voice out of the Heavens, and even I have given the Heavenly hosts and mine angels charge concerning you. "43. And I now give unto you a commandment to beware concerning yourselves, to give diligent heed to the words of eternal life: "44. For you shall live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God. "45. For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ;" In standing up to address you I do so relying entirely upon the blessing of God, which I hope to obtain by the assistance of your faith and prayers. To my mind, it is one of the most responsible positions a human being can occupy, to address a congregation upon the things pertaining to God and eternity. I feel the weight of this responsibility, and I would not attempt to speak to you, did I not know that it is our privilege to have the assistance of the Spirit of God. During this conference we have heard most excellent discourses, accompanied by the power of God. The Spirit has been abundantly poured out. It seems to me that no man or woman could listen to the words of the Apostles, who have spoken without being convinced that God was with them. This is my feeling, and I can bear testimony to the truth of that which has been said. It will be a savor of life unto life or of death unto death to all those who have listened. We are living in a very important time. The Lord is evidently working with His servants and people. He is manifesting His Spirit in a remarkable manner. I think it has been felt by every faithful Latter-day Saint throughout the Church. Not only has it extended throughout Zion, but it has been felt by the Elders and Saints, so far as we have heard, in distant places. In 1856 the Spirit of God was poured out in great power upon the servants of God in Zion. I was on a mission at the time, as doubtless were very many Elders, some of whom may be present today; and we had the same Spirit where I was laboring. The Lord stirred us up in the same way that our brethren at home were being stirred up. The Spirit of reformation went throughout the entire Church. The people were stirred from the depth of their hearts by the power of God. The effects of that reformation were most excellent. A great many adopted good resolutions which, I am led to believe, they clung to all their lives,

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and are still clinging to them if they are alive. They have served God with greater diligence than they ever did before. I do not doubt that will be the effect of these meetings. I expect to see a thorough reformation of the people, and renewed determination to keep the commandments of God more strictly than ever before. In connection with this I will read another portion of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants that occurs to my mind. It is a revelation that wad given in 1834, soon after the occurrences which President Snow read about yesterday. They took place in Jackson county, November, 1833, and this revelation was given to the Prophet the succeeding February. The Lord says: "1. Verily I say unto you, my friends, behold I will give unto you a revelation and commandment, that you may know how to act in the discharge of your duties concerning the salvation and redemption of your brethren, who have been scattered on the land of Zion; "2. Being driven and smitten by the hands of mine enemies, on whom I will pour out my wrath without measure in mine own time; "3. For I have suffered them thus far, that they might fill up the measure of their iniquities, that their cup might be full; "4. And that those who call themselves after my name might be chastened for a little season with a sore and grievous chastisement, because they did not hearken altogether unto the precepts and commandments which I gave unto them." This has been dwelt upon with great fullness by nearly all the brethren who have spoken at this conference. They have called attention to the fact that the Saints were scourged in those early days because of their disobedience. The Lord here explains and describes to the Church very plainly the reasons why they were so grievously and severely chastened: "And that those who call themselves after my name might be chastened for a little season with a sore and grievous chastisement, because they did not hearken altogether unto the precepts and commandments which I gave unto them." The Lord continues: "5. But verily I say unto you, that I have decreed a decree which my people shall realize, inasmuch as they hearken from this very hour, unto the counsel which I, the Lord their God, shall give unto them. "6. Behold they shall, for I have decreed it, begin to prevail against mine enemies from this very hour,

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"7. And by hearkening to observe all the words which I, the Lord their God, shall speak unto them, they shall never cease to prevail until the kingdoms of the world are subdued under my feet, and the earth is given unto the Saints, to possess it for ever and ever. "8. But inasmuch as they keep not my commandments, and hearken not to observe all my words, the kingdoms of the world shall prevail against them, "9. For they were set to be a light unto the world, and to be the saviors of men; "10. And inasmuch as they are not the saviors of men, they are as salt that has lost its savor, and is thenceforth good for nothing but to be east out and trodden under foot of men." There cannot be a doubt in any faithful man's mind concerning the truth of this promise -- the promise of victory and deliverance on the one hand, the promise of punishment, disaster and trouble on the other. The Latter-day Saints have in their experience proved fully the truth of these words. They have seen them fulfilled to the very letter. When they have been faithful in keeping the commandments of God they have prospered and they have had deliverance. When they have been unfaithful they met with trouble and serious difficulty. It is necessary that the wicked should have the opportunity to exercise their agency in relation to the work of God; for they have an agency as well as we. It is their privilege to assist in building up the work of God, or they can exercise their agency In fighting the work of God. They have the privilege to do everything in their power to destroy it, and they will be permitted to do this until the cup of their iniquity is full. The Lord deals justly with His children, no matter who they are. Not only Latter-day Saints, but all mankind are the children of our Heavenly Father, and all have their agency. When we quote these sayings of the Lord concerning this work, they are not peculiar to us; the promises are not intended for us alone; they are intended for all who will believe and obey His Gospel. Many people imagine that when we talk about the triumph of the Church of God we mean to confine that triumph to those who, belong to our Church. Not so; this is for the whole world. It is for all America, as well as for Utah. God has made most glorious promises to this nation. According to the revelations in the Book of Mormon concerning our own nation, the Lord has destined to make it the head of all the nations of the earth, to adopt it as His nation and as His government, if the people would receive the Gospel; and He would make them the means of saving the remnants of His covenant people, and doing other mighty works. This is all foreshadowed in the prophecies contained in the Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith, prompted by this Spirit -- the man whom God has spoken to; a Prophet of God -- condescended to proffer himself as a candidate for the Presidency of the United States. Many people thought this was ambition on his part; that he wanted to rule; that he aspired to power, and that he would use it for the carrying out of his own plans and forwarding the interests of his own people. Joseph Smith had no such idea. He was prompted, as a Prophet of God and as a patriot, to step forward and offer himself as a

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candidate, that the nation might receive the fulfillment of the promises which the Lord had made concerning it. He gave his views on the power and policy of the United States; and any man who will read those views today will see how much salvation there is embodied in the principles he set forth. A bloody war might have been averted; millions of treasure might have been saved; thousands upon thousands of lives might also have been saved, if they had only received him as a deliverer, God having inspired him to take that course. In relation to this we have the same feelings today. Men accuse us of being unpatriotic, of not being friendly, and of having designs inimical to the peace and prosperity of the land. I say to you today, in the presence of God, that no more patriotic people live upon the continent of America than the Latter-day Saints. We want to see the Constitution of this country preserved, that every man shall enjoy the rights guaranteed by that grand instrument of liberty which God inspired the framers to make. But we differ from many people in regard to our views concerning the manner in which the government should be administered. And we think, as free men, descended from a free ancestry, we have a right to differ from them, and to express our feelings upon this point with the utmost freedom; that we are not traitors when we do so, but are the friends of the government and of the rights of human beings in the government. You know, my brethren and sisters, that this is our attitude on this question. We would like to see this government so stable that it will never be thrown down. It can only be made so by adhering to the principles which animated the founders of the government, and which they hoped to perpetuate through the constitution and the laws that were enacted. We are told in this revelation that the wicked, when the cup of their iniquity is full, will receive their judgment. But the Latter-day Saints are called upon to obey the commandments of God. He has revealed himself with power to them. He bears testimony to them all the time concerning His great work that He is seeking to establish in the earth, He wants to make us the saviors of men. He calls us the salt of the earth. We are the salt of the earth. We are not conceited in saying this, because the acts of the faithful Latter-day Saints are such as to bring salvation to those who are connected with them. I wish to illustrate this so that you can see it for yourselves. Look around you and see the men and the women who have proved themselves unworthy of the principles of the Gospel, and have departed from them. Are they not like salt that has lost its savor? We have had hundreds of them; they have got indifferent; they have lost their savor, and are good for nothing. The Saints are compared to salt that has its saving properties. Wherever we go we should be saviors of men. We should seek for the salvation of the human family to the fullest extent in our power. God has called us to this. He has given unto us the Holy Priesthood, and He has pied with us now for these many years. Think of it! this revelation from which I have read last was given in 1834, nearly sixty-six years ago. The promise was then made unto the Saints that if they would keep the commandments of God they should prevail from that very hour. Is it not true that this would have been fulfilled to the very letter if we had kept His commandments? But we have not done so. We have been a disobedient people, notwithstanding all that God has done for us. We have not honored His laws; and I sometimes think we are like our ancestors, the children of Israel (for God has said that we are of the seed of Abraham) who were led out of Egypt by mighty power. The Lord wrought wonders in their behalf. He inspired Moses to

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lead the people along so that they could see the face of God, that they could have the Melchisedek Priesthood continued among them, and become a nation of kings and priests; but they were hard in their hearts and rejected the word of God. The result was that for forty years they wandered in the wilderness, and all that generation were buried in the wilderness, except two men. Two men only out of the vast host that left Egypt under the leadership of Moses, ever reached the promised land, and they were Caleb and Joshua. The Lord had a new generation. The fathers had rejected Him, and He took the Melchisedek Priesthood from their midst, with Moses, and He gave unto them the lesser Priesthood, which was confirmed upon Aaron and his seed. They administered the law of carnal commandments. And this because they did not have faith enough to receive all that Moses was willing to teach them! Shall we be in the some condition? Shall we, through hardness of heart and disobedience to God and His servants, bring upon ourselves the same penalty? I do not believe we will. I am sure we will not reject the Melchisedek Priesthood, its power and its, ordinances. But I do fear that we will defer the redemption of Zion indefinitely through our unwillingness to do the things that God requires at our hands. I have not an earthly doubt that this revelation given in 1834 would have been fulfilled to the very letter, had our people obeyed the Lord as He desired; neither do, I believe now that the redemption of Zion will be long deferred if the people will obey the Lord and keep His commandments. But the difficulty is, our hearts are hard and almost impenetrable, in many instances. Here President Snow has been preaching for four months now in relation to the payment of tithing; he has been laboring with all his might, to the astonishment of all those who know his age; and yet he cannot rest -- he has to here preach it again, because he feels that the people need to be stirred up. I tell you that all that is not for nothing. I tell you that the man of God is not aroused and inspired for nothing. There is a meaning to it. And I feel that great condemnation -- such condemnation probably as has never rested upon us before, will rest upon this people unless they obey with all their hearts the words of the Lord that He has given to us through His servant. We need to be born again, and have new hearts put in us. There is too much of the old leaven about us. We are not born again as we should be. Do you not believe that we ought to be born again? Do you not believe that we should become new creatures in Christ Jesus, under the influence of the Gospel? All will say, yes, who understand the Gospel. You must be born again. You must have new desires, new hearts, so to speak, in you. But what do we see? We see men following the ways of the world just as much as though they made no pretensions to being Latter-day Saints. Hundreds of people who are called Latter-day Saints you could not distinguish from the world. They have the same desires, the same feelings, the same aspirations, the same passions as the rest of the world. Is this how God wants us to be? No; He wants us to have new hearts, new desires. He wants us to be a changed people when we embrace His Gospel, and to be animated by entirely new motives, and have a faith that will lay hold of the promises of God. But the trouble is, the Prophets of God walk around among you, and you see them all the time. "Why, I saw Lorenzo Snow today, and he is just like any other man. I saw Joseph F. Smith, and if I had not known, I might have taken him

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for anyone else. I saw some of the Apostles, and they are like other men." And because they are like other men, therefore they must be rejected. It is not supposed that they have more power than others. That is a mistake that the world has always made. There was Moses, one of the mightiest Prophets that ever lived. Did the children of Israel see anything particularly mighty in Moses? No; he was one of them, and they saw nothing exceptional about him. Then there was Nephi, another mighty Prophet. Brother Grant read to us a description of him. Did Nephi's brethren see anything mighty in him? Why, no; there was nothing to distinguish him particularly; and yet he was a mighty Prophet whom God had raised up. So it was with the Son of God Himself, the mightiest being that ever trod the earth. He descended from the throne of His Father and came to earth; but men saw nothing in Him different to other men, and they crucified Him. Thus, it has been in every age. There have only been a few who have ever discovered the power of God as; manifested through His servants. It is so today. Who recognized Joseph Smith as one of the mightiest Prophets that ever lived? Why, the Saints themselves received with reluctance the truths he taught; and men slew him, and may possibly have thought they were doing God's service in doing so. So It has been with those who have followed him and have held the keys of authority. They have passed among their fellow men and received but little recognition. Men could see all their faults and failings, and could talk about them one to another; but they could not see the divinity in them. It is the same with the servants of God in our midst today. They are but mortal men, and we see their weaknesses and their defects of character. These become magnified in our eyes, and we talk freely about them. The result is, we receive their words with reluctance; we question the word of God that comes through them, and wonder if it is not alloyed with something of their own. What we all need is faith -- faith in God, faith to believe that which He tells us. Here the brethren have been laboring for days to tell us what blessings will attend obedience to the law of tithing -- how our storehouses will be filled, our fields be fertile, etc., in this way appealing to our selfishness. We seem to be able to reach the people better by appealing to their selfish instincts. If we can make them believe that they are going to get something in return for what they do, it seems to be more effective than any other way. It is true that these blessings will follow; but it shows, my brethren and sisters, how our hearts have to be reached. We do not have faith. If we had faith as we should have, it would not be necessary to use such arguments. We are like the children of Israel when they fled out of Egypt. They did not have faith. They were enveloped in the traditions of their fathers. They were an idolatrous people, and had lived among the Egyptians until they had imbibed many of their false notions. It took forty years wandering in the wilderness to get rid of the traditions they had imbibed, notwithstanding the mighty works which God did in their midst. We should endeavor to profit by the lessons of the past. Let us put away our hardness of heart. Let us be a distinct people. Let us try to realize that we should be born of God; that we should have new desires in our hearts; that we should put away everything that is offensive in the sight of God, and endeavor to live in strict conformity to the laws and commandments that He has given unto us. There is a class of people in our midst that probably will not be obedient. We shall have that to contend with as long as Satan is unbound; for he has power over the hearts

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of the children of men. But we should endeavor to lessen his power to the extent of our ability. In this connection a great deal depends upon the parents. My parents were exceedingly strict in exacting obedience from their children. The lessons I learned in my boyhood I have never forgotten. They have been of service to me in my labors among the people and with the servants of God. I do not wish to say anything of a boastful nature, but I never have had the least difficulty thus far in my life in obeying the servants of God. This habit of obedience was formed in me when I was a child, and I have thanked God many times that my parents were so determined that their children should be obedient to them. As a result of their training, it has been no trouble to me to come or to go, to do this or that, at the request of the servants of God. Yet those who know me regard me, no doubt, as a man who likes his own way. That is my nature. It is a pleasure to me to have my own way. I am positive in my nature. But it has also been a pleasure to me to obey the servants of God. I say to my folks that that is the way we should raise our children. They should be made to do that Which is required of them. If the Latter-day Saints as a people would enforce obedience in the home, our children would grow up and become men and women who would obey God, who would listen to His word, and be as strict in observing it as they had been to obey the word of their parents. But instead of that you see the rudeness of some of our children, The manner in which they conduct themselves at times is disgraceful. I feel mortified occasionally at the behavior of our children. There will be a meeting here tonight of the Sunday school workers, and we shall be under the necessity of having policemen, if we can obtain them, to maintain order outside the building and to prevent the meeting being disturbed by the boisterous conduct of a class of boys and girls. This is one of the things we should attend to. I feel to say that all the evils we suffer from are due to our disobedience and hardness of heart. The persecutions that we have endured are traceable to this. Our future persecutions will be attributable to the same cause. Therefore how necessary it is that we should train our children to be obedient to authority. If we will do this, it will be an easy thing for them to obey when they are men and women. A girl thus trained makes a good wife. A boy thus trained makes a good husband. Send him on a mission, and the presiding authority there will see the difference between him and the one not trained in habits of obedience. I have noticed it in my experience in the world. We should think of the future of our children. We should not let them have their own way in everything. They should be taught that it is not right, but that they should submit to the judgment of those who are over them. And we should submit to the will of our Father in Heaven, whatever He requires at our hands. If it is to give our tithing, all right. If it is to consecrate, all right. We should have faith that the Lord has power to bless us according to our devotion and diligence in keeping His commandments. I trust that what has been said at this conference will not be lost sight of and forgotten by us. I want to see Zion redeemed. I pray for the redemption of Zion. I labor for it. It will be brought about by peaceful methods. Nobody need be afraid of the designs of the Latter-day Saints. We have no designs only to keep the commandments of God. We have no evil

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designs on anybody. We invite everybody to come and partake of liberty with us. We will defend men of every creed and of every denomination in their rights as quickly as we will our own people. Joseph Smith taught us a lesson before he died in this respect, and it should never be forgotten. It will never be by those familiar with the circumstances. He invited men not of us to take part in certain things, as an example of what would be in days to come. They did not belong to our Church; I do not know that they belonged to any church. Some people have found fault with me because on one occasion I made a little distinction between the Kingdom of God and the Church of God. Now, there is a distinction, and Joseph Smith illustrated it. He showed us that when the Lord's kingdom should be established, people of every creed and of no creed should have perfect liberty and protection under it. It will not be for the Latter-day Saints alone; it will be for the protection of the Church of God and every other church. God does not deprive men of their agency. He lets them worship according to their consciences. If they want to be Methodists, or Episcopalians, or Catholics, or Agnostics, or anything else, all right. They can follow Confucius, or they can believe as the Hindoos do, or anything else, so long as they do not trespass upon the rights of their neighbors. They cannot do that. They have no right to force their belief on other people, or to war on other people because of their belief. God never did that. He will bless everyone of every creed who will serve Him to the best of his ability, and especially those who seek to preserve the rights of their fellowmen. For God loves His children, and He wants them to have their full agency. Of course, if they rebel against Him, and reject His laws and ordinances, they must meet the penalty. As a people, we ought to feel the utmost kindness and to grant the utmost liberty to everyone. We exhibited that feeling when we first came to this valley. In 1849, when the emigration came through here to California, I well remember how many preachers were invited to speak in our old Tabernacle on the corner of this block, because President Young said he wanted the people to hear these men and their views. For years this was done. Prominent ministers were invited to speak to us. I remember Methodist Bishops and others preaching to us in this Tabernacle. Why? Because we were willing to extend liberty to everybody. In return, we ask that they will not trespass upon us. We think we have a right to worship God in our own way, and we try to worship Him in that way which will be acceptable to Him. My brethren and sisters, I ask God to bless you -- bless you in your families and in everything pertaining to you. Let us labor continually for the redemption of Zion and for the time when the promises which God has made to Zion will be fulfilled; that we may build the centre Stake of Zion, and rear the house of the Lord there. There are men standing in this generation that will see it accomplished; but we do not want it put off to the very last. Let us all strive to fit and qualify ourselves and our families, by obeying the commandments of God to the fullest extent, so that we and our families may be remembered among those who shall be counted worthy to take part in the glorious work of redeeming Zion and enjoying the blessings thereof, which I humbly ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

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ELDER J. G. KIMBALL
Carrying the Gospel to the Nations -- The Duty of the Seventy. I am very desirous that I may have your attention as well as your faith and prayers for a short time. I am able to testify to the truth of all that has been spoken unto you during this conference. I believe with all my heart in the temporal salvation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I believe that the Lord will deliver us from our troubles and difficulties if we will observe all His words. I am also very deeply interested in the spiritual salvation of the children of men. I believe that that angel which John saw flying in the midst of Heaven with the everlasting Gospel to preach to every nation, kindred, tongue and people, came to the Prophet Joseph Smith and delivered his message, and that a great responsibility rests upon the Church today to see to it that this message is delivered to the nations of the earth. As has been stated, there are doubtless between seventeen and eighteen hundred missionaries throughout the world preaching the Gospel. In my opinion, not less than five hundred thousand dollars is spent each year In sending out our Elders, in distributing books and tracts and in preaching the Gospel throughout the world. I desire to speak, if I can have the spirit of my calling, more particularly to the Seventies of the Church of Jesus Christ. The special calling of the First Council of Seventy is as witnesses of the Lord to the nations of the earth, under the direction of the Twelve Apostles. There are something like one hundred and twenty-two quorums of Seventy in the Church of Jesus Christ, numbering nearly eight thousand men. Over each quorum there are seven Presidents, the Lord having arranged it so that six of them can go on missions, and always leave one to look after the remainder. And in my opinion there should not be very many remaining to look after. I want to read from the book of Doctrine and Covenants and ascertain what the Lord has to say about the Seventies. You will have to excuse me for occupying the time in talking about the Seventies, for our labor among them puts me a good deal in mind of the Filipinos. They shoot and then run, and that is about the way we have been doing. We would have a little time between meetings to talk to our Seventies; then we would shoot and run and never ascertain whether we had killed any one or not -- that is metaphorically speaking. We did not know whether we had any good effect on our Seventies or not. I believe that our Seventies are not doing their work as they should do it. I know you Seventies will not like it, and it will not make me popular with you, but I desire to say that there is a percentage of the Seventies than whom there are no more faithful men in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But the other percentage I have not much to say about. This is what the Lord says: "And it is according to the vision, showing the order of the Seventy, that they should

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have seven Presidents to preside over them, chosen out of the number of the Seventy. "And the seventh President of these Presidents is to preside over the six; "And these seven Presidents are to choose other Seventy besides the First Seventy, to whom they belong, and are to preside over them; "And also other Seventy, until seven times Seventy, if the labor in the vineyard of necessity requires it. "And these Seventy are to be traveling ministers unto the Gentiles first, and also unto the Jews; "Whereas other officers of the Church, who belong not unto the Twelve, neither to the Seventy, are not under the responsibility to travel among all nations, but are to travel as their circumstances shall allow, notwithstanding they may hold as high and responsible offices in the Church. "Wherefore now let every man learn his duty and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence. "He that is slothful shall not be counted worthy to stand, and he that learns not his duty and shows himself not approved, shall not be counted worthy to stand. Even so. Amen." I want to ask the Latter-day Saints if they have ever heard of a Seventy being handled that is slothful and careless regarding his duties. I have heard of men being handled who waded out into the mysteries of the kingdom and commenced advocating false doctrine. One brother asked me the other day if I had ever heard of a man being handled for not knowing anything, and I could not remember a single case of that kind in the history of the Church. I want to say to the Seventies, the High Priests and the Elders, that I do not believe the Lord is well pleased with the children of men in that they do not qualify themselves and learn their duty and perform the labor that rests upon them. I desire to proclaim from this stand that, as a Seventy in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as a witness of the Lord to the nations of the earth, I am willing to go forth and cry aloud to the children of men repentance, and I ask no Seventy to do what I am not willing to do myself. I have the faith to testify, and am willing to do so, that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, notwithstanding it is unpopular to do this. I consider that Elder Ben E. Rich and Elder Kelsch and other Elders that have been appointed to labor in the ministry have never had conferred upon them greater blessings and honors in all their history. They are honored of God, and if they have the spirit of God resting upon them, which they do have, they will be sorrowful when they are released from that labor, and when they have to come back and go to their little plodding along, hunting their little farm and getting a little work to do. I read in the scriptures that some one says that he would rather be a living dog than a dead lion. So far as I am concerned, I would

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rather be a dead lion. I would rather go forth and preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and I want to do it while I am young and full of vigor and life. When I get old I will come back and go into the High Priests' quorum and labor, while some other young men preach the Gospel. I believe that the Seventies quorums ought to be made up of young men. The saying is "Old men for counsel and young men for war," and this is a warfare. If we do not kill anybody, everybody wars upon us. I believe that aged men ought to go into the High Priests' quorum. I want to say it right from this stand, so that when they call upon us for missionaries, we will have able-bodied men and men who are willing to go forth and preach the Gospel. We do not want any Seventies that are run by their wives either. I do not blame the wives for running their husbands, because I think we have Seventies that their wives ought to run. I hear it almost every day (I do not want you to think it at home either) "What a lovely husband that man is. If I only had a husband like that I would be happy." I ask what kind of a husband he is. "Well, he shakes the quilts, he puts the carpets down, he helps wash the dishes, he helps dress the children," etc. Well, if it takes all that to make a good man, you cannot count me in among them. I would rather go on a mission, and I would rather stay and die with my neck in the collar. I think it is honorable to do these things when you are at home, but if I have to do them, I want to stay at home but a very little while. I do not believe that God gave a man the Holy Melchisedek Priesthood and ordained him a Seventy in the Church of Jesus Christ, to be tagging after one little woman and spending his whole life in that way. That is what I want to say to you Seventies; I have said it and I don't propose to take it back. The Lord bless you. Amen. The choir sang the anthem: Light and Truth. Benediction by Elder F. S. Bramwell.

THIRD DAY AFTERNOON MEETING (OVERFLOW)

An overflow meeting was held In the Assembly Hall, at 2 p.m. Elder M. W. Merrill presiding. Opening hymn page 79, sung by the congregation, "Glorious Things are Sung of Zion." Prayer was offered by Elder Christian D. Fjeldsted. "I know that My Redeemer Lives," was sung by the Temple choir.

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ELDER SEYMOUR B. YOUNG

My brethren and sisters, I hope you will give me your faith and attention, that the Spirit of the Lord may rest upon me, that we may be edified together. The solemnity of these great gatherings and the spirit thereof that has seemed to fill every breast, causing us to come together, and the words of inspiration to which we have listened during this conference, have given me food for reflection, a little deeper, I think, than I have ever had before. It has aroused within me a new determination and a resolve, the Lord being my helper, to assist you and to ask you to assist me, as a band of brethren and sisters, as servants and handmaidens of the Lord, to be more faithful in the future than we have been in the past. The Lord has been with this people. We have gathered to this goodly land, notwithstanding the displeasure of the Lord in His judgments which He meted out to His Church in the days when they were inhabitants of the States of Missouri and Illinois; although, in the beginning of their settlement In those States, the Lord was with them, and His Spirit, to a very great degree, inspired the leaders of the people and inspired many of the Saints to hearken to the commandments of the Lord. But it was with the Saints as it was with the Nephites and Lamanites in the days when they inhabited this land. There were times when the people were full of faith and good works and were earnest in keeping the commandments of the Lord, and then there were times when the Nephites and Lamanites dwindled into unbelief and grew covetous and selfish and became lifted up In the pride of their hearts, and, finally, the favor of the Lord was withdrawn from them, and they wandered in darkness and unbelief until the judgments of the Lord awakened them again to a sense of their fallen condition, which occurred many times, as we are informed by the history of that people. Now, the Lord decreed, through His servants, the Nephite Prophets, that the people who inhabited this land should serve Him and keep His commandments, or they should not prosper in the land. Reference was made today by our Prophet, Seer and Revelator, Lorenzo Snow, to the Judgments of the Lord that came upon the people in the State of Missouri, in Jackson County, in 1833. The Saints were driven from their homes and stripped of their possessions, not because they were the most wicked people upon the face of the land, nor because the Lord had cast them off forever, but because He was reminding them of the covenants they were under and the necessity of their keeping them. He was reminding them, I say, of these truths, by there chastisements which He had permitted to come upon them, renewing their faith and confidence in Him and humbling them before Him that He might again bless them and pour out upon them blessings and favors which he had in store for His faithful children. And truly, as President Cannon reminded us, the revelation of the Lord, in 1834, was given through the Prophet Joseph Smith, saying that inasmuch as the people had been chastened

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and had repented, the Lord was willing to accept of their repentance, if they would turn unto Him with full purpose of heart and serve Him and keep His commandments. Now, although they were awakened from their slothful condition and were caused to repent of their former neglect and sins, through the grace and favor of the Lord, after having been chastened sufficiently, yet we are informed that they again became slothful and careless and failed to keep the commandments of the Lord, and, finally, He permitted their enemies to drive them from the State of Missouri to Illinois, where they built a city under the direction of the Prophet Joseph Smith, in Hancock County, called Nauvoo, or Commerce. Here the Saints prospered for a little season, although the land upon which they had settled was unhealthy and malarial. Malarial fever seized the Saints in Nauvoo and In Montrose, situated just across the river, and they suffered very sorely from sickness and disease of a dreadful nature for a number of months after settling in that place. To such an extent did they suffer that the Lord was moved to compassion on account of their condition, and He whispered to His Prophet Joseph Smith, who called some of his valiant brethren around him and went from house to house in Commerce, or Nauvoo, and in Montrose, administering to the Saints and commanding them in the name of Jesus Christ to arise from their beds of affliction and walk and be made whole. Wherever they went and these commands were given in the homes of the Latter-day Saints, they were obeyed, and the sick were healed instantly. I cite this to show that notwithstanding the displeasure of the Lord and these judgments which He had permitted to come upon His people, He was very merciful unto them whenever they would humble themselves before Him, promising that they would strive to serve Him. He was willing to return unto them if they would return unto Him, according to the words of the Prophet Malachi. The trials of the Saints in the city of Nauvoo seemed to have culminated into the greatest sorrow they had ever experienced. It was heaped upon them in the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, in Carthage jail, in 1844. I say, this seemed like the culminating sorrow of the Latter-day Saints, but no one need sup pose, however, that it was because of transgression that these two great men fell under the hands of a guilty mob. These great men were born to a divine mission, even as our Savior Jesus Christ, our Elder Brother, and when that mission was completed on the earth, the Lord had decreed that they should seal their testimonies with their blood. They never shrank from its fulfillment, knowing that this was the decree of the Lord, and knowing also that they were going to their death when they left the city of Nauvoo. The Prophet turned to his traveling companions and said: "I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but I am calm as a summer morning. I have a conscience void of offence toward God and toward all men. If they take my life, I shall die an innocent man, and my blood shall cry from the ground for vengeance, and it shall yet be said of me, 'He was murdered in cold blood.'" Shortly after the death of the Prophet, the Lord declared, through Brigham Young -and I am inclined to believe that here again it was necessary to awaken the people, who, from their sorrow, had fallen almost into a condition of lethargy -- the Lord declared through

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Brigham Young, the leader of the Church then, and the successor to the Prophet Joseph Smith, that unless the brethren and sisters laid hold of the work again in prosecuting their labors upon the Temple in Nauvoo, and finished it, that it might be dedicated to the Lord, they would be cut off with their dead. This aroused the Saints again to a sense of their duty to God and His cause, and they went to with their might, with their faith and works, never ceasing until they had completed that house and dedicated it, renewing, under the direction of President Brigham Young, the ordinances of God's holy house and Temple, for the redemption of the living and the dead. We came to this land of the west, my brethren and sisters, to the Rocky Mountains, "Willing, because we were obliged to," as President George A. Smith used to say. The Prophet Joseph said that the Saints should be driven to the west, even to the Rocky Mountains, and that many then living would yet go to the Rocky Mountain valleys, and that there the Saints should plant their feet and grow to become a great and mighty people. We have seen the fulfillment of this great prediction, thus far, my brethren and sisters, and today we are brought face to face with living truths. The Prophet Joseph laid down his life because God decreed that it should be so, and He permitted him and his brother Hyrum to be martyred for the cause of truth. Again a Prophet was selected by the power of Almighty God and placed to lead the people, in the person of Brigham Young. After the Prophet Brigham's demise another Prophet was raised up by the power of revelation from God the Eternal Father, and he, too, stood as the leader of Israel all the remaining days of his life, never flinching, never swerving from any duty laid before him, standing in the majesty of his calling to promulgate to the people the word of the Lord; and so it was when President John Taylor passed away. It was so with President Wilford Woodruff, who succeeded to that prophetic ministry, to lead and guide Israel and to declare unto them the mind and will of the Lord. And now another Prophet stands with the same keys of authority, with the same power of the Holy Priesthood resting upon him. And so it is today. Our Prophet, the Prophet of the Lord, the Prophet of the Mighty God of Jacob, Lorenzo Snow, declares unto us as a congregation today, as the congregation of Israel everywhere, he declares unto us, as our spokesman, as the spokesman of the Lord, that it is necessary for us to reform in our lives. These are the conditions that confront us today, the time when we are to observe the commandments of the Lord and accept of the word of the Lord as given through His servant the Prophet. We could bring up by referring to the history of God's people, both in ancient and modern times, year after year, and decade after decade, instances to show that the Lord has ministered unto His children when they have entered into covenants with Him and have kept those covenants, and He has blessed them abundantly from time to time; then again, at times, He has brought upon them His judgments, showing Ills displeasure unto them for not keeping His commandments as they should have done. Then they have repented, and again the clouds of darkness and persecution have lifted, and the Saints made to rejoice in the sunbeams, in the light of God's favor and countenance, after the dark clouds have passed.

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We are a blessed people. We have our homes here in the valleys of the mountains, which is the land of Joseph, the land of Zion, dedicated centuries ago by the Prophets of the living God to be the land of Joseph, whereon Zion should be established in the latter days, even the New Jerusalem, that is to be built up here, as foreseen by the Prophets of the Nephite nations. At the present time we are living in that day and age of the world when these predictions are to be literally fulfilled. If the Lord can have His way, for He said, on one occasion, to the Saints while they were in the State of Missouri, and since their expulsion from that state, that Zion could be redeemed today, it could have been redeemed before today, if His people were ready for this redemption. Therefore, this proves to me, my brethren and sisters, beyond the power of contradiction, that the Lord is ready to redeem Zion and to make Ills people a great power, and the head and front in the earth, through His grace, whenever they are prepared for it. I was very much impressed by the remarks of Apostle Woodruff in regard to the reclamation of lands and the taking of farms, utilizing these beautiful lands in the valleys of the mountains for the Saints and their children and making homes for themselves and becoming owners of the soil upon which the Lord has so mercifully planted His people. A few weeks ago I attended the National Irrigation Congress, at Missoula, Mont. The State of Utah was there honored to a very great degree. The members of the congress and those who attended knew that Utah was the leader, the educator, in irrigation and in the redeeming arid lands; consequently, they looked to the delegates from Utah to say something to them in regard to the methods of reclaiming the arid lands of this state, and our methods of colonizing. In the territory of Arizona alone, where a few of our people have settled and where four Stakes of Zion have been organized, there are many hundreds of thousands, and possibly several million, acres of land lying idle, ready for the labor of the husbandman. All it needs is the aid and help of the general government to assist us in getting water onto that desert land, by impounding the streams and floods during high water season, In the spring, for use during the dry season. The Irrigation Congress hopes to obtain this aid from the government in the near future, in order to bring this land into a condition that the farmers may possess it and make themselves homes. This land lies in the great orange belt, and there is no Better soil or climate for the production of all the tropical fruits than this now and land in Arizona, which is lying idle, numbering hundreds of thousands of acres, waiting for the water to be turned onto it. The Lord brought His people here for a purpose, and that purpose was that they might more faithfully serve Him than they could have done in the land from which they were expelled; also for the purpose of redeeming this barren waste, which had to be redeemed and which needed the power of God to do it, manifested through His devoted servants, who would devote their lives, time and talents to the redemption of this soil that was so sterile and forbidding in its appearance when the pioneers landed upon it. The Lord knew the character of the men whom He had appointed for this work, and He loved them; and His people have gathered here with the pioneers by the thousands and tens of thousands, from all

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nations, and from the isles of the sea, and they have come here with the desire and intention of serving the Lord, through His grace and favor. They dedicated to the Lord the land, the water, the elements, and everything surrounding them, in order that His blessings might be upon them and their labors, and upon the soil, and the Lord has indeed blessed His people. Now we are confronted with another fact: That we have been negligent In paying our tithes and offerings to the Lord. How soon we forget! How easy it is for man to sin, even "As the sparks fly upward," as King Solomon said. Man is prone to do evil and to forget. We are apt to forget the blessings we are in possession of, and to forget the Giver. When we entered into the Church of Christ we covenanted with God, the Eternal Father, that we would keep His commandments and serve Him, that we would accept of His truths as revealed through His Prophets, and that we would not only enter into the waters of baptism as humble children and have our sins washed away and covenant with the Lord to be His faithful children ever after, in spirit and in truth, but that we would accede to Him all He required of us in our temporal affairs, and to give unto Him a goodly portion of that which we possessed, in return, for His many blessings, that we would be faithful in paying our tithes and offerings. But we have drifted along, year after year, and today we are confronted with the fact that we have not half paid our tithing, that there is not more than 25 percent of the people that belong to the Church of Christ today who are honest tithe payers. In one prominent Stake of Zion, where a conference was recently held, under the direction of President Snow, I heard that not more than 15 percent of the members of that whole Stake were tithe payers. This is the condition we are found to be in today, my brethren and sisters, and the Prophet of the Lord has said for us to repent of our sins and turn away from our evil doings and neglect and from our covetousness, and to come near unto the Lord, with full purpose of heart, to serve Him and keep His commandments, to "return unto the Lord," according to the words of the Prophet Malachi, "and He will return unto you." But if we do not return to the Lord the consequence will be most serious and disastrous to the Saints. Never in my life have I heard the servants of the Lord stand before the people and say In such plainness that it was time for us to receive the word of the Lord and keep His commandments more fully, for us to repent and turn unto Him. I have observed that where the people of the Lord have failed to hearken to this word and to repent of their backsliding and to turn unto the Lord with full purpose of heart, the judgments of the Lord have come upon them, in every instance. Now, it is time for us to listen and hearken to the words of the Lord, delivered unto us by His Prophet, in regard to the payment of our tithing. In the northern part of this State, in the Malad valley, we have an Indian colony. It is the best Indian colony, I think, upon the face of the earth today. It is the largest colony that I know anything about that is under the direction of the Church of Christ, numbering about 250 people, organized under a Bishop, who presides over them as any other Bishop would over the white people. They have their Sunday school and Mutual Improvement organizations, etc., and they go to their meetings regularly and attend to their duties very well indeed for a people taken from such a low condition, who were so ignorant in the

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beginning. They are making strides in improvement. A few years ago they began to farm their land, which they had homesteaded, under the direction of the Bishop and those who presided over them. They now possess and live upon their own lands and work it as the white man does. They sow their own grain and harvest and thresh it the same as the white man, owning their threshing machines and harvesting implements. They sell their grain and lucern seed when threshed, and squander the proceeds, because their white brothers set them bad examples. If these Indians would save and store up their grain, not wasting or squandering it, they would be much better off. But their Bishop has warned, instructed and counseled them with regard to this, and now they are suffering for their disobedience in not listening to the counsel of those placed in authority over them. Last year they had an abundance of grain and lucern, and they sold it all for whatever price they could get. But this year has been one of disaster to them. Their harvests utterly failed this year, through drouth. They lost all their fall wheat and lucern seed through early and late frosts and the lack of moisture, and now they are almost without the means of sustaining the colony until another harvest. But they are a resolute and patient people, and when their crops fail them, as at the present time, they go out upon the plains and into the mountains and hunt for a living, killing deer and dressing their skins and making gloves and moccasins to take to the towns and cities to sell to the white people. They also gather wool from the sage-bush and other vegetation, where it has been deposited by the sheep in traveling through the country, to and from their winter and summer ranges. By this means they manage to eke out an existence and save themselves from starvation, when their crops fail. They are patient under these terrible ordeals, and I sometimes think they are more patient than their white brethren would be. Bishop Moroni Ward presides over the colony. A man more fitted for the position could probably not be found in Israel. He is a father to his people, and a blessing to them. A delegation of their chief men waited upon him not long ago. They said, "We have lost all our crops. We have no wheat or lucern seed, or means of gaining food and the necessaries of life, because the soil has not yielded anything for us. Now what is the reason?" "Well, brethren," the Bishop said, "have you prayed in your families mornings and evenings?" "No." "Did you attend fast meetings on fast days and bring something for the poor?" "No." "Have any of you drunk a little whiskey during the past year and wasted your money in drink?" "Yes." "Have you smoked tobacco and wasted your money in procuring this poisonous weed?" "Yes." "What have you not done then?" They acknowledged that they had done many things they ought not to have done. "Then," said the Bishop, "can you expect the Lord to do all for you when you do nothing for yourselves?" So they went away satisfied, vowing within themselves, no doubt, as they frequently do, to do better. They promised the Bishop that they would try to reform and do better, that they would try to keep the commandments of the Lord and sustain and uphold him as their Bishop, and to hearken to the words of counsel given to them. My brethren and sisters, I rejoice today that there is a man of God standing at the head

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of this people. I bear witness to you that President Snow is a chosen servant of the Lord, for the will of the Lord is again made known through him, and the Lord has called upon us, through him, to repent of our sins, our backsliding and neglect, and to pay an honest tithing from this time henceforth and forever, that we may be indeed the people of God, and that this land may be a land of Zion unto us and unto our children, to the last generation of time. For, let me assure you, my brethren and sisters, that if an honest tithing was paid from all the forty thousand families of the Latter-day Saints, as they exist today in their prosperous condition, in all this western land, a very large amount would come into the treasury of the Lord's storehouse each year, and we would soon be the wealthiest people on the face of the earth. I say this would have been the condition had the Saints all been paying an honest tithing. But the past shall be the past, the Lord has declared, and our sins in this matter, of the past, will be forgiven, provided we will begin from this time to be faithful servants and handmaidens of the Lord. That we may redeem ourselves from the fall and from our own sins. For I declare unto you today that the Lord has living Prophets and Apostles, and His words are given to us all the day long. Let us profit by them. I pray that the Lord will bless you, my brethren and sisters, and enable you to live according to the glorious principles of the Gospel as revealed to us of the Lord through His Prophets, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Sister Emma Ramsay sang the song, "Come all Ye Sons of Zion," chorus by the choir. The congregation then unanimously sustained, by vote, all the general authorities of the Church, and of various organizations thereof as their names were presented by Elder Matthias F. Cowley.

ELDER ABRAHAM O. WOODRUFF

Brethren and sisters, in arising to address you for a few minutes, I trust that I may be guided by the Spirit of the Lord, that I may be led to say something that will benefit the Latter-day Saints who are here present and build us up in our faith. I will read the 21st verse of the 14th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John: "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." This promise holds good in our day and time, although it was uttered many centuries ago. Still, we profess to have the same authority as the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, and

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the same Gospel as preached by them, even the power of God unto salvation. This being the case, there is no Latter-day Saint, no matter what degree of Priesthood he may hold, no matter what his standing may be, if he be in the Church of Christ and is faithful and keeps the commandments of the Lord, but what has this promise vouchsafed unto him: That the Father will manifest Himself to him; and this can be done in a very great variety of ways. I believe that there Is no Latter-day Saint, that has any interest in the Church of Christ, but what has been led to marvel at the peculiar workings of destiny in connection with the Latter-day Saints, as a people. There is no one that has been an observer of the history of this people that can help but acknowledge that there is something supernatural or superhuman connected with the development of the latter-day work. In every instance where the people have observed certain commandments given to them, they have always received the promises connected therewith, and where they have not kept those commandments, God has poured out His judgments upon them for their disobedience. Every Latter-day Saint should be interested in the work of the Lord and seek to obtain for himself or herself a testimony concerning this work, for the evidences of its divinity are so abundant that if we strive to any degree at all to know of the truthfulness of this great latter-day work, we may know whether or not it is of God or of man. Sometimes we may ask ourselves the question, Is Lorenzo Snow a Prophet of the Living God? Is he the mouthpiece of God upon the earth? Do we believe it? Do we believe that he is authorized to say "Thus sayeth the Lord?" I believe and know that he is and that he possesses all the authority necessary to constitute him the mouthpiece of the Lord upon the earth. If we believe this we will be very anxious to follow his teachings, and we will be very anxious to be connected with the Church of Jesus Christ, that we may know and that God the Eternal Father may know which master we list to obey, for we have been told that his servants are we whom we list to obey. If we list to obey God the Eternal Father we will be His servants, and we will be desirous for the establishment of the work of the Lord upon the earth and to see it grow and increase, and we will love righteousness and hate iniquity. As Latter-day Saints, I feel that we ought to stand closely together in this day and time when it appears as though persecution would again be waged against us. It is a warning to us to stand more closely together. We ought to be a people who believe in supporting one another and the kingdom of God. We ought not, as we have done in the past in many instances, furnish the gold and silver to forge the instruments that are aimed at our lives, the lives of this people, as a community. Very often we have, through our patronage and support, built up men and institutions that have afterwards used every means in sending out falsehoods regarding this people, and that have done everything they could to bring persecution upon the Saints. I feel this is wrong, that we ought not to do it. I think that the Latter-day Saints, as a rule, do not fully comprehend what they are doing in this regard. It is true that we desire to do business with all honorable men. But I want to say to the Latter-day Saints that if this people would withdraw their support from those men, institutions and agencies, and from those papers, that send out falsehoods about this people and the citizens of this state, they would not be able to live. It is the support which the Latter-day Saints give

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these agencies that maintains them. Therefore, I say that we feed the instruments that are intended to be used against us, and that are used against us. I think we should reflect more upon these things. In many of oar settlements the Saints have given their patronage and support to men who have come into their midst and fleeced them, and who have then turned around and used those very means against them. This should be a warning to the Latter-day Saints that they ought to try and support themselves and their own institutions, to build up one another and be more united in the future than they have been in the past. I feel anxiously engaged in the work of the Lord. I desire above all things upon the face of the earth to enjoy the spirit of the Apostleship of the Lord Jesus Christ, that I might labor for the bringing about of the salvation of the sons and daughters of God upon the face of the earth. This is the work of God, the Eternal Father. It is not the work of man, and we do not need to be very much concerned with regard to the outcome of this people. We need not be agitated on account of the efforts being made for their overthrow. If we do our duty as individuals the Lord will take care of the rest. We have had no occasion in the past to worry regarding the final outcome of this community. The Lord has always brought to naught the plans that have been laid and devised for the destruction of this people by our enemies, and He will do the same in the future, if we will hold together and not allow ourselves to be led off and to mix up too much with our enemies. Of course, we welcome all good citizens. We love all good citizens in this city and state and upon the face of the earth, who delight in telling the truth, but we have not yet learned to love those that tell falsehoods and that seek to destroy our influence in the nation. I suppose we ought to love them, according to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, but we have not perfected ourselves to that degree yet. I pray God to bless you and to teach us and fill us with His Holy Spirit continually, that we may so live, by keeping the commandments of God, the Eternal Father, that we may ever know for ourselves, whenever anything is enacted for the Church as a whole, whether it is of the Lord or not, and not set up our own ideas against the plans of the Lord. It is the right of every Latter-day Saint, who is living in accordance to the commandments of the Lord, to know of the truthfulness, correctness and righteousness of every enactment that is made by the Church of Christ, for we believe in revelation. We believe that God will manifest these things unto us, not simply to those who stand at the head of the Church, but to all the members of the Church of Christ. It is our privilege to know and understand whether anything that is done by the Church is right or not, if we are living in accordance with the commandments of the Lord. I pray the Lord to bless you, and may He fill our hearts with His peace. May we realize more in the future than we have ever done in the past the necessity of laboring continually for the establishment of righteousness and the building up of God's kingdom and work upon the face of the earth. May we so live that we may share in the blessings which God the Eternal Father has promised to those that love Him and keep His commandments. I ask it in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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ELDER MATTHIAS F. COWLEY

My brethren and sisters, I hope you will not get weary, and that you will sustain me by your faith and prayers while I occupy a few minutes of the time. I would also like for you to sustain me by your faith and prayers every day in the future, and in return I will endeavor to sustain you by my faith and prayers and by such exertion as the gifts and blessings of the Almighty to me shall enable me to be of benefit and profit to the Latter-day Saints. It is of very little use to bear testimony that we know that the Gospel is true unless we exemplify that testimony in our daily walk and conversation. The best evidence which we can give to the Lord that we are convinced that President Snow is a Prophet of God is that we shall heed the counsel which has been given through him to this people, and pay our tithing, thus testifying by our works that we do sustain President Lorenzo Snow as the mouthpiece of God to the Latter-day Saints. There is a statement in the Doctrine and Covenants having a bearing upon those who are sent out to preach the Gospel, and it applies to those who preach the Gospel at home, not only as missionaries bearing offices as general authorities of the Church, but it applies to every Bishop and Elder in Israel, and to the Seventies and Presidents of Seventies, to the lesser Priesthood and all who administer in the various offices assigned unto them. It is this: "Treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man." It is not for the purpose of dwelling upon this quotation that I read it, but to call your attention to another matter: It is the duty of the servants and handmaidens of the Lord, who constitute the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to treasure up the words of eternal life, and then, under the inspiration of the Almighty administer that portion of the word of God that is especially adapted to the wants of the people on the occasion, it is also the duty of every Latter-day Saint to know what is the matter with himself or herself and to know exactly wherein they have come short in keeping and observing the commandments of God. I will venture to say that the instructions of this conference are applicable, to a greater or less degree, to every individual, male or female, who has been in attendance at this conference. It is the duty of the Latter-day Saints to take to themselves that portion of the word of God which is applicable unto them, or which they have not fully exemplified by their conduct and lives heretofore, and make a distinct and personal application of the came to themselves in the future. If there Is any one here who has exemplified these instructions fully, who has not been derelict in his or her duty, having fulfilled it to the fullest extent, taking into consideration every injunction of the Gospel and every requirement of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please hold up your right hand. I would like to see you. And I presume we are all a little derelict and that there is a necessity for a reformation upon our part.

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It is certainly unnecessary for us to rehearse this afternoon the promises extended to those that are faithful, unto those who are diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and the great disadvantages and the disapproval of Heaven if we keep not the commandments of the Lord. We must remember that we have taken upon us the most solemn obligations that were ever assumed by men and women upon the face of the earth. This is the great and last dispensation, a dispensation In which is comprehended all the keys, blessings and powers and every measure of divine authority which has been enjoyed by any and all previous dispensations of the Gospel, from father Adam down to the present period of time. Upon our shoulders rest the responsibilities of all these dispensations combined together, as it were. It is the dispensation of the fullness of times. We have made sacred covenants, in sacred places, and those covenants mean something. When the Lord revealed them through His servant, the Prophet Joseph, as applying to this dispensation, it was designed that they should be attended, when strictly observed, by the blessings and power of Almighty God, and it was designed that if those sacred covenants should be violated and trampled in the dust of the earth, God would not be mocked, and that His judgments would come upon His people unless they exemplified the principles of the Gospel in their daily walk and conversation. Now, these things, my brethren and sisters, have been brought to the attention of the Latter-day Saints, in the instructions of this general conference. Let us reflect upon them. Let every man and woman ask himself or herself the question, Where have I been derelict? In what duty have I been neglectful? Can I improve? And then let us consider the instructions given at this conference, and especially that portion that would be applicable to us individually. Let us go forth from this time and pay our tithes and offerings, and consecrate as much of our property to the cause of God, to the liquidating of the debts and obligations of this Church, as is possible for us. I say to you that it Is the easiest way to secure the blessings and protection of Almighty God. The Prophet of the Lord has said to us more than once, since he received the manifestation in the city of St. George, that the Latter-day Saints must pay their tithing or they shall not be entitled to the blessings of the house of the Lord, and shall be subject to the persecution and tyranny of their enemies. He has also said to us more than once that if we would pay our tithing as we should the Lord would bless us abundantly, spiritually and temporally. I would not have you pay your tithing for a selfish motive. I would not desire to pay my own tithing with the idea in view that the Lord would enrich me in a temporal capacity. The riches of this earth are not the choicest the Lord has to bestow. He may bestow them upon us, and they are necessary for the promotion of the work of God, in a material sense, but the choicest blessing that comes to the Latter-day Saints is the rich and choice inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to enlighten our minds upon the things of God and to give us an Influence among the children of men that will enable us to verify the injunction of the Savior when He said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." These are the choicest blessings, my brethren and sisters. Let me encourage you to make a more earnest effort to enlist your young people in the work of Mutual Improvement and Sabbath School work, and to get them to take advantage

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of the opportunities that are afforded them in the Gospel, that our sons and daughters may be efficient in proclaiming the Gospel, both at home and abroad. There is a great necessity for this. I must not occupy your time much longer. It is nearly up. May the Lord bless you, my brethren and sisters, and may we go forth from this conference, to the various Stakes of Zion where we reside, and to our various labors, and to the nations of the earth, with the spirit of this conference, disseminating it among the people of God and among the peoples of this earth. I bear to you my testimony that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of the living God. I bear testimony to you that the Father, the Almighty, and His Son, Jesus Christ, presented themselves to that boy Prophet in this dispensation. I bear to you my testimony that he received the keys of the gathering of the house of Israel, from the hands of the Prophet Moses, that he received the keys for the building of temples and the redemption of the dead, from the Prophet Elijah, who appeared personally to him and restored those keys. I bear testimony to you that the great Prince Michael, the Archangel, has delivered to him the keys connecting, by genealogy, the generations of men, and binding them together in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, from the beginning down to the latest period of time, in this dispensation. These keys have been restored to the earth. I rejoice in the Gospel. I am under obligations to the Almighty, and I feel my obligations to Him, God has always given me something to do and has opened up the way before me and shown me what my calling was. I want to say to the young men in Israel, if you are laboring in any doubt as to what you should do in life, go to God in prayer and ask Him what you should do, and let Him guide you by His Spirit, and He will do it. We are the people of God, and He has promised to hear and answer our prayers. I want to admonish you to respect the principles of the everlasting Gospel, no matter what they are, no matter if they be the principles that are assaulted by our enemies. They are the principles of eternal truth, and God has revealed and established them upon the earth, and He will maintain them and Zion will be established, and the kingdom of God will grow in power end the Latter-day Saints will be prepared for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and His reign upon the earth. These are my testimonies, May God bless you, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

ELDER MARRINER W. MERRILL

There is one subject to which I wish to briefly refer. I wish to call you attention to your temple work. This is a very important consideration, or should be, in our lives and in our home affairs. Let us contemplate it. Thousands, and I might say millions, of dollars have

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been expended by this people, through the commandments of the Lord, in building temples. We have four in this State. They are convenient to a great majority of the people of the Church, not only in this State, but in the surrounding States. Now, we must all remember, that a hundred years hence, in all probability, every one of the us will be on the other side of the veil, and we have kindred there, fathers and mothers, grand-fathers and grandmothers, and great grand-fathers and great grand-mothers. A great many of our kindred have left this existence any many of them without a knowledge of the Gospel, perhaps the majority of them. We are here as their children, and they have an interest in us and we have an interest in them, because the keys have been revealed whereby the hearts or the children are turned to lite fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children. Those keys and powers have been revealed in our day and time, and we now have opportunities, while in life, to prosecute this labor in their behalf and to extend to our kindred beyond the veil the greatest redeeming plan of salvation. The opportunity is now afforded us. Opportunities are also continually opening before us, whereby our genealogies may be obtained. I have learned, through experience, that people who have an interest in their temple work, records and genealogies, obtain those genealogical records, to a great extent. Some people spend hundreds of dollars, perhaps thousands of dollars, in traveling and gathering up the records of their forefathers, while others are indifferent in this regard, and scarcely think of it from one year's end to another. We are not going to live forever, none of us. We may pass away any moment. I have known of many instances of this kind, where people have put off from time to time and from year to year, their work in behalf of some of their kindred dead, and have finally passed away themselves without doing this work. I know of such cases in Salt Lake City and all over the country. Now, brethren and sisters, do not forget this labor. Do not put it off until you are entirely ready, because, if you do, perhaps you will not get ready at all. Your way may be hedged up, for Satan is on the move and is looking into our affairs continually and he may hedge up our way, wherever the opportunity is afforded him, that we shall not be able to redeem our kindred dead. Therefore, I wish to urge this matter upon you. In the midst of all our duties and labor, let us not forget our fathers and mothers, and our kindred on the other side of the veil. God bless you, and may He lead us in the paths of life; that our minds may be stirred up by way of remembrance of the duties pertaining to us in this our second estate. The meeting was brought to a close by the singing of the hymn, "We thank Thee, O God for a Prophet." Benediction by Elder Marriner W. Merrill.

THIRD DAY AFTERNOON MEETING (TABERNACLE)

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The choir sang the anthem: "O Lord, how manifold are Thy works." Prayer by Elder Angus M. Cannon. Singing by the choir: O, my Father, thou that dwellest, In the high and glorious place, When shall I regain thy presence, And again behold thy face? In thy holy habitation, Did my spirit once reside? In my first primeval childhood, Was I natured near thy side? THE AUTHORITIES OF THE CHURCH and those connected with various organizations, were presented to the Conference for the votes of the assemblage, as follows: 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 Council 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, Abraham O. Woodruff and Rudger Clawson. The Counselors in the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles as Prophets, Seers and Revelators. Patriarch of the Church -- John Smith. First seven Presidents of Seventies-Seymour B. Young, Christian D. Fjeldsted, Brigham Henry Roberts, George Reynolds, Jonathan G. Kimball, Rulon S. Wells and Joseph W. McMurrin. William B. Preston as Presiding Bishop, with Robert T. Burton and John R. Winder as his first and second counselors. Franklin D. Richards as Church Historian and general Church recorder, with John Jaques and Andrew Jenson as his assistants. As trustee-in-trust for the body of religious worshippers known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Lorenzo Snow. As members of 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 general Superintendent of Church Schools and Religion Classes -- Karl G. Maeser. As Secretary of General Church Board of Education -- George Reynolds. As Members of the Board of Examiners of Church School Teachers -- Karl G. Maeser, Benjamin Cluff, Jr., William J. Kerr, George H. Brimhall and Joshua H. Paul.

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As Secretary of the Board of Examiners -- John M. Mills. RELIEF SOCIETY Zina D. H. Young, president. Jane S. Richards, first vice-president. Bathsheba W. Smith, second vice-president. Sarah J. Cannon, third vice-president. Emmeline B. Wells, secretary. M. Isabella Horne, treasurer. Directors: Romania B. Pratt, Emelia D. Madsen, Lucy S. Cardon, Susan Grant, Mary Pitchforth, Harriett M. Brown, Martha Tonks, Helena E. Madsen, Aurilla Hatch, Hattie Brown, Martha B. Cannon, Emma Woodruff, Julia L. Smith, Emily S. Richards, Rebecca Standring, Ellis R. Shipp, Julia P. M. Farnsworth. SUNDAY SCHOOL AUTHORITIES George Q. Cannon, general superintendent. Karl G. Maeser, second assistant general superintendent. George D. Pyper, general secretary. George Reynolds, general treasurer. Leo Hunsaker, assistant secretary. Members of the Deseret Sunday School Union Board -- George Q. Cannon, 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 Kimball, Joseph F. Smith, John W. Taylor. Aids -- L. John Nuttall, James W. Ure. John F. Bennett, John M. Mills, William B. Dougall, William D. Owen, Seymour B. Young. YOUNG MEN'S MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION Lorenzo Snow, general superintendent. Joseph F. Smith, Heber J. Grant and B. H. Roberts, assistants. Aids -- Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, Matthias F. Cowley, Abraham O. Woodruff, J. G. Kimball, Junius F. Wells, Milton H. Hardy, Rodney C. Badger, Geo. H. Brimhall, Wiliam S. Burton, Edward H. Anderson, Douglas M. Todd, John E. Heppler, Edward H. Snow, Nephi L. Morris, Richard W. Young, Horace G. Whitney, Willard Done, LeRoi C. Snow, Frank Y. Taylor. Secretary and treasurer, Thomas Hull. Music director, Evan Stephens. YOUNG LADLES' MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION

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Elmina S. Taylor, president. Maria Y. Dougall, first counselor. Martha H. Tingey, second counselor. Secretary and treasurer, Annie M. Cannon. Corresponding secretary, Mae Taylor. Assistant secretary, Joan Campbell. Aides -- Lilly T. Freeze, Adella W. Eardley, Sarah Eddington, Aggie Campbell, Minnie J. Snow, May B. Talmage, Emma Goddard, Rose W. Bennett, Alice K. Smith, Elizabeth C. McCune, Ruth M. Fox, Julia A. Brixen, Susa Y. Gates, Helen W. Woodruff, Augusta W. Grant, Mary A. Freeze. PRIMARY ASSOCIATION Louie B. Felt, president. Lillie T. Freeze, first counselor. Josephine R. West, second counselor. May Anderson, secretary and treasurer. Olive Derbidge. assistant secretary. Euphemia J. Irvine, recording secretary. Aids -- Aurelia S. Rogers, Cornelia H. Clayton, Lulu Greene Richards, Belle S. Ross, Julia I. McDonald, S. E. Hyde, Camilla C. Cobb, Zaidee Walker. John Nicholson as clerk of the General Conference. All of the voting was unanimous. Brother Horace S. Ensign sang the solo, Jerusalem.

ELDER JOSEPH W. M'MURRIN

Young Men should be Prepared for the Ministry -- Usefulness of Musical Ability. I feel, my brethren and sisters, in standing before this great assembly of people that I occupy a very responsible position. The words spoken by Apostle Merrill come home to me with considerable force, that when one stands up to claim the attention of so many people, he certainly needs the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that the time may be spent profitably. The time of the people should not be wasted through men speaking by their own wisdom and without the inspiration of the Lord. I sincerely pray that that spirit may direct me in the few words that I speak, and that I may have the sympathy and the faith and prayers or this great congregation of Latter-day Saints.

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I have rejoiced exceedingly in the meetings of this conference and in the glorious instructions that have been given by the servants of the Lord, as they have been moved upon by the power of the Holy Ghost. I thank the Lord that in my heart there is a response to the teachings that have been given by the various speakers, and that I feel in my soul that I am in full accord with the doctrines that have been announced; that I sustain them, and that I can bear testimony to their truth and to their great value to this people. I feel that there could have been no man or woman attend the assemblies of this conference without feeling that he or she has received instructions from the Lord, and has come away with a determination to improve in the future with the assistance of God. I know my own heart has had feelings of this nature. I have felt that I would endeavor to do better, that I would pay attention to the hints that have been thrown out and to the doctrines that have been given and try to keep the commandments of the Lord more fully. There is a splendid opportunity for all Latter-day Saints to accomplish a great amount of good. We heard here this morning and we all understand it, that the responsibility of preaching this glorious Gospel, which has been revealed by our Father in Heaven, rests upon this people, particularly upon those who bear the authority of the Holy Priesthood. When we think of the vast field that opens up before us, of the millions of people who know nothing concerning the glad news that God has sent to His children on the earth, we should be anxious to qualify ourselves for these duties and responsibilities. I feel that greater attention should be given to the young men who are growing up in our midst. There should be greater anxiety upon the part of fathers and mothers and of men who are in authority, to train them in the principles of the Gospel, that when they leave their homes and go out into the world to preach the Gospel, they may be qualified for that labor, that none of them may be in the condition of some who have declared that they never studied the Gospel, that they did not know where to find certain books of the Holy Scriptures, and that they had never prayed publicly in their lives, not even in the family circle. I rejoice that there are opportunities abounding on every hand, if the people will take advantage of them to educate their sons and daughters in the principles of the Gospel and to prepare them for this serious responsibility that must come upon them in the future. We have many schools organized that are under the control of the Latter-day Saints, where the principles that are so dear to us are taught to the students. I feel that all the people should give encouragement to these worthy institutions. They should send their sons and daughters to be educated under the influence of the Gospel, that they may grow up with an understanding of its principles and be capable of defending theta when they go out among the people. I believe that in one particular we could make very great improvement, and that is in a musical way. As I listened to the solo that was rendered here this afternoon by Elder Ensign, who has recently returned from missionary labor, I felt in my heart that the power and ability that he has in this direction has been as of great worth to him in the preaching of the Gospel as a knowledge of the scriptures. If greater attention were given to this subject of the training of young men and of young women also, how to sing the songs of Zion, it would be of great worth to the missions to which they go. I think that if Mission Presidents who are in this congregation

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were asked, they would bear testimony that they would rather have men sent into their missions who could sing well and who could teach others to sing, even though they could not preach at all. This has been my experience in the European Mission, particularly in Great Britain. The young men who could sing the songs of Zion in a proper and pleasing manner were always in demand. They carried an influence with them that made them welcome at the homes of the people. They attracted attention upon the streets and they found good congregations to preach to, and they were able to do a great deal more good through being able to sing well than they otherwise would have done. Wonderful things can be accomplished in this direction. Prof. Stephens, I believe, at times has had thousands of students under his direction, training the youth of this Stake of Zion particularly, to sing the songs of Zion. Other musical directors could follow this example. They should persuade young men to join their choirs, to form glee clubs, and to prepare themselves in this way to make a good, impression on the people when they go out to preach the Gospel. I do not feel, my brethren and sisters, that it would be proper for me to occupy more of your time; but I do rejoice in this Gospel. I thank God with all my heart that I have been born and reared in the midst of the Latter-day Saints. I testify before you that this work is of God; that there is power and salvation within it; that it has been revealed by the God of Heaven for the benefit and blessing of the people. I pray God that we may be stirred up as a people; that we may believe that there is a Prophet in the midst of Israel and that the God of Heaven has spoken to him and has commanded him to warn this people of the error of their ways and to point out to them the way in which they should walk, that they may be blessed of the Lord. Let us receive the counsel given; let us believe the word of the Lord; let us sustain His servants, and let us awake to the responsibilities that rest upon us and follow in that straight path that will bring us everlasting life. May God bless us and help us to live aright all the days of our lives, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH

Effectiveness of Musical Ability -- The Efficacy of Prayer -- The Righteous have no cause to Fear the Death of the Body -- Spiritual Death and the Means of Escape from It -Young Men should Preserve Themselves in Purity. Greatly to my surprise, I have been requested to occupy a few moments. I need not repeat the petition of my brother who has just sat down, that I may have the sympathy and the prayers of the Saints, for I certainly desire and need them. A certain incident was brought forcibly to my mind while Brother McMurrin was talking to us. Not long ago President Snow and his party attended a Stake conference, and I noticed that the choir was made up almost entirely of young ladies. There were perhaps two young men. One young man led the choir, and I do not remember clearly whether there was one young man in the choir or not

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besides the leader; but all the rest were young ladies. It was a beautiful choir, and they sang beautifully, but the absence of male voices was very conspicuous, notwithstanding. I believe during one of the services the leader of the choir was absent, and one of the young ladies had to step forward and lead it. I inquired why it was that the young men were not more numerous in that company of singers, and was told that the young men considered it was too. effeminate, too womanly, for them to engage in the occupation of singing. I presume they might have felt more at home shaking the quilts, sweeping the floors, and helping to wash the dishes. I can remember when I was a little boy, hearing my father sing. I do not know how much of a singer he was, for at that time I was not capable of judging as to the quality of his singing, but the hymns he sang became familiar to me, even in the days of my childhood. I believe that I can sing them still, although I am not much of a singer. When young men go out into the world to preach the Gospel, they will find it very beneficial for them to know how to sing the songs of Zion. I repeat the admonition and request made by Brother McMurrin, who has recently returned from a lengthy mission to Europe, that the young men who are eligible to preach the Gospel, and who are liable to be called into the missionary field, begin at once to improve their talent to sing, and do not think it is beneath their dignity to join the choirs of the wards in which they live and learn how to sing. When we listen to this choir, under the leadership of Brother Stephens, we listen to music, and music is truth. Good music is gracious praise of God. It is delightsome to the ear, and it is one of our most acceptable methods of worshipping God. And those who sing in this choir and in all the choirs of the Saints, should sing with the spirit and with the understanding. They should not sing merely because it is a profession, or because they have a good voice; but they should sing also because they have the spirit of it and can enter into the spirit of prayer and praise to God who gave them their sweet voices. My soul is always lifted up and my spirit cheered and comforted when I hear good music. I rejoice in it very much indeed. Now, I would like to encourage the young men of Israel to learn to sing, and especially those young men of whom I have been speaking. I would not like to tell you just where they live, because it might be considered a little personal, but it was down south; it was not very far down south either. It was somewhere near Sanpete valley. I want the young men of Sanpete Valley to learn how to sing, so that when we go down to hold conference there again we can have the young men joining with the young women in the choir, and not leave the young women to do all the singing. This might apply also to all the other counties; especially should it apply to those counties or Stakes of Zion where the young men think it is beneath their dignity and their manhood to learn how to sing. I hope they will rise above such a foolish notion as this. Not only should we learn to sing, but we should learn to say our prayers. It is about as awkward for a young man to go out to preach the Gospel to those who sit in darkness, who does not know how to pray, as it is for one who does not know how to sing. And there are some who have gone out into the world, as we have heard today, who have not even known how to pray. The last time I was absent from home in the missionary field, I heard of a young man, whose grandfather was an Apostle and one of the most brilliant and faithful Apostles of the Church, and whose father has been a Bishop in the Church, and is today a very

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prominent man. This young man went out to preach the Gospel to the heathens, and when he got into the field of labor he confessed he had never said a prayer in his life; he had never heard his mother pray; he had not been sufficiently with his father to hear him pray, and he knew nothing about praying and he had to begin as a little child, in the missionary field, to learn how to pray. It is a great pity that a young man should be sent out handicapped in this way; that he should be put to such a disadvantage by the indifference of his parents and the neglect of the opportunities that he had had in Zion. I pray you, my young brethren who are present in this vast congregation, and who are liable to be called to preach the Gospel to the world, when you are called to go out, I pray that you will know how to approach God in prayer. It is not such a difficult thing to learn how to pray. It is not the words we use particularly that constitute prayer. Prayer does not consist of words, altogether. True, faithful, earnest prayer consists more in the feeling that rises from the heart and from the inward desire of our spirits to supplicate the Lord in humility and in faith, that we may receive His blessings. It matters not how simple the words may be, if our desires are genuine and we come before the Lord with a broken heart and a contrite spirit to ask Him for that which we need. I would like to know if there is a young man in this congregation, or anywhere else, who does not need something of the Lord. Where is there a soul upon the earth that does not need something that the Almighty can give. In the first place, all that we have comes from him. It is by His providence that we exist on the earth. It is by His kind mercy that we see and hear, that we have the power of speech, and that we possess intelligence, for as the prophet of old said, "There is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding." Therefore the very power of understanding that we possess is the gift of God. In and of ourselves we are but a lifeless lump of clay. Life, intelligence, wisdom, judgment, power to reason, all are the gifts of God to the children of men. He gives us our physical strength as well as our mental powers. Every young man should feel from the depth of his heart that he is indebted to Almighty God for his being and for every attribute that he possesses which is in likeness of the attributes of God. We should seek to magnify the attributes that we possess. We should honor God with our intelligence, with our strength, with our understanding, with our wisdom, and with all the power that we possess. We should seek to do good in the world. This is our duty; and if a young man can only feel as all men should feel, he will find that it is an easy matter for him to bow down before the Lord in humble prayer and seek unto him for the aid, comfort, and inspiration of His Holy Spirit, that he may not be left entirely to himself, nor to the wisdom and ways of the world. But as a rule, where young men have good parents to provide for them, where they have good homes and their food and raiment are sure, they feel that they are not dependent upon anybody, unless perchance they should be afflicted in some way, and then begin to realize their weakness and dependence. But I want to say to you, my young friends, that in the hour of your independence, at the moment when you feel the strongest, you should bear in mind that you are but human, the breath of life is in your nostrils, and you are destined to pass from this world through the portals of death. Every man that is born into the world will die. It matters not who he is, nor where he is, whether his birth be among the rich and the noble, or among the lowly and poor in the

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world, his days are numbered with the Lord, and in due time he will reach the end. We should think of this. Not that we should go about with heavy hearts or with downcast countenances; not at all. I rejoice that I am born to live, to die, and to live again. I thank God for this intelligence. It gives me joy and peace that the world cannot give, neither can the world take it away. God has revealed this to me, in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know it to be true. Therefore I have nothing to be sad over, nothing to make me sorrowful. All that I have to do with in the world is calculated to buoy me up, to give me joy and peace, hope and consolation in this present life, and a glorious hope of salvation and exaltation in the presence of my God in the world to come. I have no reason to mourn, not even at death. It is true I am weak enough to weep at the death of my friends and kindred. I may shed tears when I see the grief of others. I have sympathy in my soul for the children of men. I can weep with them when they weep; I can rejoice with them when they rejoice; but I have no cause to mourn, nor to he sad because death comes into the world. I am speaking now of the temporal death, the death of the body. All fear of this death has been removed from the Latter-day Saints. They have no dread of the temporal death, because they know that as death came upon them by the transgression of Adam, so by the righteousness of Jesus Christ shall life come unto them, and though they die they shall live again. Possessing this knowledge, they have joy even in death, for they know that they shall rise again and shall meet again beyond the grave. They know that the spirit dies not at all; that it passes through no change, except the change from imprisonment in this mortal clay to freedom and to the sphere in which it acted before it came to this earth. We are begotten in the similitude of Christ himself. We dwelt with the Father and with the Son in the beginning, as the sons and daughters of God, and at the time appointed we came to this earth to take upon ourselves tabernacles, that we might become conformed to the likeness and image of Jesus Christ and become like him; that we might have a tabernacle as He has a tabernacle; that we might pass through death as He has passed through death; that we might rise again from the dead as He has risen from the dead. As He was the first fruits of the resurrection of the dead, so shall we be the second fruits of the resurrection from the dead; for as He came forth, so shall we come forth. What is there therefore to be sad about? What is there to make us heavy of heart or sorrowful in this matter? Nothing at all. Sorrowful, indeed, to think that we shall live forever! Is there any cause for sorrow to know that we shall rise from the dead, and possess the same tabernacle that we have here in mortality? Is there cause for sorrow in this great, glorious Gospel truth that has been revealed to us in this dispensation? Certainly there can be no sorrow connected with a thought like this. There must be only joy connected with this knowledge -- the joy that springs from the ten thousand feelings and affections of the human soul; the joy that we feel in association with brethren, with wives and children, with fathers and mothers, with brothers and sisters. All these joyous thoughts spring up in our souls at the thought of death and the resurrection. Wherein should we be sad or sorrowful? On the contrary, it is cause for joy unspeakable, and for pure happiness. I cannot express the joy I feel at the thought of meeting my father, and my precious mother, who gave me birth in the midst of persecution and poverty, who bore me in her arms and was patient, forbearing, tender and true during all my helpless moments in the world. The thought of meeting her, who can express the joy?

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The thought of meeting my children who have preceded me beyond the veil, and of meeting my kindred and my friends, what happiness it affords! For I know that I shall meet them there. God has shown me that this is true. He has made it clear to me, in answer to my prayer and devotion as He has made it clear to the understanding of all men who have sought diligently to know of Him. We are not dependent for this upon the written word, nor upon the knowledge possessed by the ancient Prophets and Apostles. We depend only upon God as He reveals Himself today and administers unto men by the power of His Holy Spirit. And all men in the world, not only the Latter-day Saints, but those who have never embraced the Gospel, have the same privilege that we have, if they will take the course which God has marked out. It is their privilege to come to the knowledge of this truth and to understand these things for themselves. We have derived this knowledge from the Lord, not from man. Man can not give this knowledge. I may tell you what I know, but that is not knowledge to you. If I have learned something through prayer, supplication, and perseverance in seeking to know the truth, and I tell it to you, it will not be knowledge unto you. I can tell you how you can obtain it, but I cannot give it to you. If we receive this knowledge, it must come from the Lord. He can touch your understandings and your spirits, so that you shall comprehend perfectly and not be mistaken. But I cannot do that. You can obtain this knowledge through repentance, humility, and seeking the Lord with full purpose of heart until you find Him. He is not afar off. It is not difficult to approach Him, if we will only do it with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, as did Nephi of old. This was the way in which Joseph Smith, in his boyhood, approached Him. He went into the woods, knelt down, and in humility he sought earnestly to know which church was acceptable to God. He received an answer to his prayer, which he offered from the depths of his heart, and he received it in a way that he did not expect. My brethren and sisters, do not learn to pray with your lips only. Do not learn a prayer by heart, and say it every morning and evening. That is something I dislike very much. It is true that a great many people fall into the rut of saying over a ceremonious prayer. They begin at a certain point, and they touch at all the points along the road until they get to the winding up scene; and when they have done, I do not know whether the prayer has ascended beyond the ceiling of the room or not. I rejoice in the truth. I thank God for the testimony that I have received of the Gospel. I thank God that I live, and that I shall die and that I shall live again in spite of me. I cannot prevent that, I am bound to go through that ordeal. But I want to speak a word or two in relation to another death, which is a more terrible death than that of the body. When Adam, our first parent, partook of the forbidden fruit, transgressed the law of God, and became subject unto Satan, he was banished from the presence of God and was thrust out into outer spiritual darkness. This was the first death. Yet living, he was dead -- dead to God, dead to light and truth, dead spiritually; cast out from the presence of God; communication between the Father and the son cut off. He was as absolutely thrust out from the presence of God as was Satan and the hosts that followed him. That was spiritual death. But the Lord said that He would not suffer Adam nor his posterity

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to come to the temporal death until they should have the means by which they might be redeemed from the first death, which is spiritual. Therefore angels were sent unto Adam, who taught him the Gospel and revealed to him the principle by which he could be redeemed from the first death, and be brought back from banishment and outer darkness into the marvelous light of the Gospel. He was taught faith, repentance and baptism for the remission of sins, in the name of Jesus Christ, who should come in the meridian of time and take away the sin of the world, and was thus given a chance to be redeemed from the spiritual death before he should die the temporal death. Now, all the world today, I am sorry to say, with the exception of a handful of people who have obeyed the new and everlasting covenant, are suffering this spiritual death. They are cast out from the Presence of God. They are without God, without Gospel truth, and without the power of redemption; for they know not God nor His Gospel In order that they may be redeemed and saved from the spiritual death which has spread over the world like a pall, they must repent of their sins, and be baptized by one having authority, for the remission of their sins, that they may be born of God. That is why we want these young men to go out into the world to preach the Gospel. While they themselves understand but little perhaps, the germ of life is in them. They have been born again, they have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and they have the authority of the holy Priesthood, by which they can administer in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Though they may know but little in the beginning, they can learn, and as they learn they can preach, and as they have opportunity they can baptize for the remission of sins. Therefore, we want them to do their duty at home. We want them above all things to be pure in heart. We want our boys to be without sin or blemish. We do not want boys that have been in saloons, that have been in houses of ill-fame, that have been gamblers, that have been drunkards, that have been infamous in their lives -- we do not want such to go into the ministry of this holy Gospel to represent the Son of the Living God and the power of redemption to the world. We want young men that have been born or adopted in the covenant, that have been reared in purity, that have kept themselves unspotted from the world, and can go into the nations of the earth and say to men, "Follow me, as I follow Christ." Then we would like to have them know how to sing, and to pray. We expect them to be honest, virtuous, and faithful unto death to their covenants, to their brethren, to their wives, to their fathers and mothers, to their brothers and sisters, to themselves and to God. Where you get men like this to preach the Gospel to the world, whether they know much to begin with or not, the Lord will put His Spirit into their hearts, and He will crown them with intelligence and power to save the Souls of men. For the germ of life is in them. It has not been vitiated or corrupted; it has not been driven away from them. God bless all Israel, and preserve the life of our beloved President. May He fill him with wisdom, with understanding, and with a knowledge of the necessities of the whole people and of the cause of truth in the world, that he may be instrumental in the hands of Almighty God of meeting every exigency of the Church and performing every duty that may be required for the salvation of Israel and for the redemption and sanctification of this land, that it may be a land of Zion unto us. May the blessing of life, peace, health and intelligence rest down upon President Cannon also, and upon the Apostles, one and all of them, that they

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and the Presidency may be united; that we may see eye to eye, and labor as one man for the salvation of souls, and especially for the preservation and the integrity of the household of faith. May God bless these men, and the Presidents of Stakes and their counselors, the High Councils, the Bishops and their counselors, and the Presidents of the High Priests. Let me say here that we do not want every "old fogey," or any man because he is an "old fogey," to be joined to the High Priests quorum. We want men to be connected with the High Priests that have sense and intelligence enough to govern, if they are called upon to do so. The office of High Priest is the office of Presidency in the Church, and men who are High Priests should be men possessing more wisdom, more intelligence, and more knowledge as to how to govern and how to rule in righteousness in the Church than any other class of people in it. We want good men to be High Priests, as well as good men to be Seventies. Then we want good men to be Elders. May God bless the High Priests in their organizations in Zion, and the Seventies, and the First Seven Presidents of the Seventies. May He bless the Elders, and the lesser Priesthood throughout the Church. May God bless the widows, and provide for them, through the means that He Himself has appointed in the Church. May the people of God remember their tithes and offerings, and obey the laws of God, that there may be meat in the storehouse of the Lord, to feed the poor, to clothe the naked, to educate the orphan, and to take the helpless and lift them up and put them in a position where they can contend in the world successfully for their living, equally with those who have guardians and protectors to take care of them. May God bless Israel, and may peace abide upon all the household of faith, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON

In Relation to Prayer I would like to add a few words in relation to prayer. The testimony that President Smith has borne is very true and comes home to me with great force, It is a subject upon which I have had a good many thoughts. I have talked to our people in various conferences concerning it, and I will say here that we should give our wives and children the opportunity to pray in the family circle. There are men who think that unless they pray the Lord does not hear the prayer, and they are in the habit of doing all the praying in their families. I have known men who have got into such a habit, as President Smith has said, that prayer with them is only a form. There is a story told of some boys who were outside a house while the man of the house was praying. One of his sons was among the number, but he was not where he could hear as well as some of his companions; so he asked one of the boys where his father was at, and I believe they told him he was at Jerusalem and the gathering of the Jews. "Oh!" said he, "we can go off for some time yet." He knew the prayer so well that he could tell how long it would take to finish it. Now, it is a delightful thing to hear little children pray. They pray so innocently and simply; and I would rather hear a little child pray than I

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would some of the ceremonious and formal prayers. Some men seem to think that they have got to tell the Lord all about it or He will not know; so they enter into every detail. Well, if the Spirit prompts that, it is all right; but it is good for us to pray concisely. We should teach cur children to pray simply and naturally; to ask for that which they want. We should ask our wives and our daughters to pray. Let them do some of the praying in the family. They will enjoy it better, and they will come to prayers more regularly, because they will take an interest in them. Brethren, do not get the idea that the Lord will not hear your wives and daughters. He does hear them, and He hears our little children. I would give them the opportunity as soon as they are old enough, to ask a blessing, and to pray around the family altar, and to ask for the things that are in their hearts. The choir sang the anthem: Hosannah. Benediction by Elder Joseph E. Taylor. Conference adjourned for six months. The stenograph work in taking an account of the proceedings In the Tabernacle was done by Arthur Winter, and in the Assembly Hall by Leo Hunsaker. JOHN NICHOLSON, Clerk of Conference

SUNDAY SCHOOL JUBILEE

SEMI-CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOLS OF THE CHURCH
The general jubilee celebration commemorative of the establishment of the Sunday schools of the Latter-day Saints, in the Rocky Mountains, was held in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Utah, Sunday evening, October 8, 1899, this year being the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of the first Sunday school in Utah. The large Tabernacle was filled to its utmost capacity, before the opening hour, chiefly by Sabbath school workers, and very many people were unable to gain ingress. In addition to the general decorations of the building, there were placed in prominent positions large portraits of the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Patriarch Hyrum Smith, and Presidents Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff and Lorenzo Snow; also a heroic bust picture of Richard Ballantyne; life size portraits of General Superintendent George Q. Cannon, President Joseph F. Smith, Elders George Goddard, John Morgan and most of the members of the Quorum of the Apostles and Deseret Sunday School Union Board. Besides

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the general and Stake officers of the Sunday school organization in places reserved, there were also seats reserved for and occupied by those who had been members of the first Sunday school, those who had been Sunday school workers forty-five, forty, thirty-five, thirty and twenty-five years, and for the husbands, wives, and children of members of the first Sunday school, and reciters, from different nations, of the Articles of Faith, prize winners, awarding committees, the blind and deaf representatives; also the families of the late Elders Richard Ballantyne, George Goddard and John Morgan. On the stand were, of the general authorities of the Church: Presidents Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith; Patriarch John Smith; members of the Council of the Twelve Apostles, Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, Heber J. Grant, George Teasdale, Anthon H. Lund, Matthias F. Cowley, Abraham O. Woodruff, and Rudger Clawson; members of the First Council of Seventies, Seymour B. Young, C. D. Fjeldsted, George Reynolds, J. Golden Kimball, Rulon S. Wells and Joseph W. McMurrin, and Presiding Bishop Wm. B. Preston. Of the Deseret Sunday School Union officers there were: George Q. Cannon, general superintendent; Karl G. Maeser, assistant general superintendent; George Reynolds, general treasurer; George D. Pyper, general secretary, and Leo Hunsaker, assistant general secretary; of the members of the Sunday School Union general board, George Q. Cannon, 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, and Joseph F. Smith; aids to the general board, L. John Nuttall, James W. Ure, John F. Bennett, John M. Mills, Wm. B. Dougall, Wm. D. Owen and Seymour B. Young. General Superintendent George Q. Cannon presided. At 7 p.m. Held's Military band, which had kindly volunteered its services for the occasion, and which occupied a place in front of the choir seats, played an overture by Suppe, "Poet and Peasant." At 7:20 p.m. General Superintendent George Q. Cannon announced the opening hymn, "Our God, we Raise to Thee," which was sung by the Tabernacle choir and the congregation, under the leadership of Prof. Evan Stephens, Prof. Jos. J. Daynes being the organist. Prayer was offered by Assistant General Superintendent Karl G. Maeser. The Tabernacle choir sang the hymn, "For the Strength of the Hills we Bless Thee." The roll of Stakes in the Church was then called by Secretary George D. Pyper, there being present representatives from all the forty Stakes of Zion, as follows: Alberta, Bannock, Bear Lake, Beaver Bingham, Boxelder, Cache, Cassia, Davis, Emery, Fremont, Juab, Juarez,

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Kanab, Malad, Maricopa, Millard, Morgan, Oneida, Panguitch, Parowan, Pocatello, Salt Lake, San Juan, San Luis, Sanpete, Sevier, Snowflake, St. George, St. John, St. Joseph, Star Valley, Summit, Tooele, Uintah, Wasatch, Utah, Wayne, Weber, and Woodruff.

GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT GEO. Q. CANNON

Spoke as follows: "It is gratifying to know that every Stake has a representative here this evening. "I see that I am on the program for some introductory remarks. The time is so short that what I shall say will be very brief. "I am sure that everyone present must be profoundly impressed with this assemblage of people this evening. Of the many sights we have had of a gratifying character, connected with the Sunday schools, this certainly excels them all. It is exceedingly delightful to see the interest that is taken by the whole people in this grand work. The Sunday school has become an institution that is very dear to the hearts of this entire people. Every day that passes impresses its importance more and more on the minds of all. Every parent that has right conceptions concerning the future of their children, feels a deep and abiding interest in the Sunday school. The Sunday School Union board has very little occasion to find fault with the management of the Sunday schools, or with the lack of interest manifested by those who ought to take interest in it. Everybody recognizes the value of the Sunday school, and of its teachings, but there remains a great deal yet to be done. As Sunday school workers we should not be content until we have brought all the children of the land into the Sunday school and under its influence, so that these little fellows that now grow wild may be humanized and made to feel the responsibility that will rest upon them when they grow to manhood. I am sure that everyone that labors in the Sunday school feels the importance of training their children and getting them to observe the Sabbath day and to refrain from visiting the street corners, behaving rudely and boisterously, or going fishing or hunting on the day which has been set apart by the Almighty for His worship, and which ought to be sacred in all our hearts. Our children should be impressed with the sacredness of this day. I hope to see the time when we shall have less of this unruly element in our streets and in our homes, and when our children shall become students in the Sunday school. The Sunday school is dear to the hearts of those children who do attend. They feel interested in it, and the influence of our teachings in the Sunday school is going to make, it may be said, a new generation. It is but a few years from childhood to manhood, and in our hands, Sunday school teachers and superintendents, is the formation of the character of the rising generation. As we impress them with the proper feelings and thoughts and teach them correct habits, so will they grow up to manhood and womanhood, and their influence will be

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felt for good wherever they move. "I pray God to bless this Sunday school movement, to bless every man and woman who labors in this cause and who devotes himself and herself to the promotion of righteousness in the midst of the rising generation. I ask this blessing in the name of Jesus. Amen."

ELDER FRANCIS M. LYMAN

Read the following paper: "Today we celebrate the Jubilee of the establishment of Sunday Schools in these mountain vales. In attempting to briefly review the progress and development of the Sunday School cause among the Latter-day Saints for half a century past we cannot hope to more than glance at the most prominent events and refer to a few of the pioneers and leaders in this great work. Fifty years ago the Saints, after being driven from their homes in the East, were settled here in peace but not in a land of plenty. In search of that peace and religious liberty they had come to a land dry and barren, a land that was forbidding to all who did not put their trust in the true and living God, and show forth their faith by hard and persistent toil. Yet amid the struggles and privations of pioneer existence they did not forget the education of their children. But how meagre were their facilities for education then compared with those we now possess! More than three years had passed since they left their beautiful city of Nauvoo, on the banks of the Mississippi, and set their faces towards the wilderness to find a haven of rest in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains. All their supplies had to be hauled by team more than a thousand miles. Their houses were necessarily small and poorly lighted. They had but few books; and, as a people, their numbers were small. "While the Saints were in the midst of these adverse circumstances, Brother Richard Ballantyne, then in the prime of life, saw and felt the need of religious instruction being imparted to the young. When he arrived here in 1848 he settled in the Old Fort, and while still there, in the month of May, 1849, he formed the purpose of starting a Sunday school for the education of the youth in the principles of the Gospel and a knowledge of the scriptures. In speaking of this he said, 'That was the main purpose, to teach them the Gospel, because I felt it was very precious to me and I thought it would be precious to them, and it was my duty to do that.' Having no suitable place in which to carry out his noble design, he determined to build one. He had a city lot in the Fourteenth Ward, now designated as the northeast corner of First West and Third South Streets. He moved his two wagons there and about the last of May commenced to gather materials and erect a building that was to be his home and school house. From then until early winter he labored to accomplish this purpose. The rock was hauled from Red Butte, and adobes from the old adobe yard, the lumber from

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Mill Creek canyon, which he paid for by hauling the logs on shares. Excepting the doors and windows he did the work of building with his own hands. In front of his lot he placed a neat pole fence. Not unmindful of the good influence of pleasant surroundings and with all other labors before him, in the spring he procured cottonwood trees from City Creek canyon and planted some for shade in front of the lot and others for a small grove near his future school and home. The house, when finished, was built of adobes, with a dirt roof, the windows and paneled doors were painted; in size it was 18 feet wide by 20 feet long outside, besides a smaller room used by the family for a living room. The school room, for those times, was well lighted. The seats were long benches, made of slabs, extending the width of the room. "On the morning of the second Sunday in December, 1849, all was ready. He with his wife and babe and the members of the school were Gathered there. In their presence he solemnly dedicated by prayer the room for the purpose for which it was designed. The Sunday school numbered about 50 pupils, among whom were members of the families of Apostles John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Parley P. Pratt, Franklin D. Richards, and others. They furnished their own books. The lessons were from the New Testament, Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants, mostly from the New Testament. The children were willing to attend. They were seldom absent although the school began at 8 o'clock in the morning, closing in time for those who wished to attend the general meeting of the Saints. His Bishop, John Murdock, to whom he was second counselor, was in hearty accord with him in all his efforts. He carried on the school himself successfully for about a year. In the meantime the Fourteenth Ward had erected a meeting house, and in the fall of 1850 the Sunday school moved into it. Bro. Ballantyne was the Superintendent, assisted by Bro. Joseph Horne, Bro. Phineas Richards and several teachers. When Bro. Ballantyne left on a three years' mission to Hindustan, in 1852, Bro. Horne succeeded him as superintendent of the Sunday school. "In succeeding years, many others inspired with a similar interest in the education of the children, became pioneers or leaders in Sunday school work in other wards and settlements. Bro. Ballantyne, after his return home, organized a Sunday school in 1856, in the Fifteenth Ward, which he thought was one of the best he had ever seen, because of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon it, and especially in the spirit of testimony that rested upon the pupils. Thus other Sunday schools were organized and maintained amid the many privations, hardships and charges that marked the early settlements of the Saints. With the increase of population and facilities for education the interest in Sunday schools has grown until a ward is not considered complete without one or more live Sunday schools in it. "On the 4th of November, 1867, a meeting of those interested in the Sunday schools of the Saints was held at the Thirteenth Ward Assembly Hall, Salt Lake City, for the purpose of organizing a Sunday School Union. This was the first meeting held for that purpose. There not being so many present as was anticipated, the meeting adjourned until the 11th of that month at the same place. On the latter occasion there was a large attendance; among those present were Presidents Brigham Young and Daniel H. Wells, also Apostles George A.

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Smith, Wilford Woodruff, George Q. Cannon, and Brigham Young Jr. At this meeting the first stops were taken towards a permanent organization, and Elder George Q. cannon was elected president, with a secretary and two corresponding secretaries. A committee of three were also appointed to examine and decide upon books suitable for lisp in our Sunday schools. "During the meeting President Brigham Young spoke at considerable length, instructing those present on various points connected with the Sunday school movement, and the cause of education in general. He was followed by Elder George A. Smith and George Q. Cannon. The latter stated that Elder David O. Calder had kindly volunteered to teach the tonic sol-fa system of music to the Sunday school teachers, as soon as a sufficient number came forward to form a class. "It was not until 1872 that the Sunday School Union assumed a more compact and definite shape. In the June of that year a committee, appointed at a meeting of Sunday school officers and teachers, and composed of Brothers George Goddard, John Morgan and John B. Maiben waited upon General Superintendent George Q. Cannon, presented the minutes of the meeting for his approval and invited his counsel and co-operation in bringing about a wider concert of action to give greater impetus and solidity to the efforts of the Union. The result was that from that time the efforts and labors of the Union assumed a more practical shape, and thereafter monthly meetings of the teachers and superintendents were held in Salt Lake City with great regularity; at first in the City Hall, then in the 14th Ward Assembly Rooms, afterwards in the Council House, and still later in the Assembly Hall. These meetings continued to grow in proportions and interest until they were among the most popular and most largely attended of any of the assemblies of the people of Zion. "In reading the minutes of the regular meetings of the Union, it is exceedingly interesting to note that the same subjects that are still considered among the most important were then canvassed with much vigor, and that the instructions given were, to a very great extent, the same, slightly differing according to altered instances, as those that it is still found necessary to inculcate. The subjects of punctuality, the grading of the schools, prizes, rewards, the necessity of readers adjusted to the use of the Sabbath schools of the Saints, of a collection of hymns and songs composed by members of the Church, with suitable music: of a primary catechism, and the publication of other suitable works, keeping better registers of attendance, improved records, correct and punctual reports, selection of suitable books for Sunday school libraries, securing larger average attendance, and the use of the scriptures for text books in the classes-all these and many other subjects that still have to be considered, are to be found among the teachings of the general superintendency and others of the brethren from the time that these meetings were first held. These instructions have not been in vain. Not only has the Union increased in numbers, year by year, but in compactness also, and a greater uniformity has been reached in the methods of teaching and in the modes of conducting the schools. At first there was considerable diversity of operation in the Sunday schools situated in the various Stakes of Zion; but today, through experience, better methods

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have been attained which secure greater uniformity and more satisfactory results. Class readers, such as those used in the day schools, and which were once so widely used in the Sunday schools are now almost entirely excluded from the latter, and in their place we have the First and Second Readers published by the Union. "The organization of schools into the Union for some time proceeded slowly In the more remote settlements, but in the more complete organizations of the Stakes of Zion, which took place a short time previous to the death of President Brigham Young, was found the means by which the good influence of the Union could be extended to the most distant schools, through the presiding officers of those various Stakes; and Stake superintendents of Sunday schools are now almost invariably appointed when the organization of a Stake is perfected; so that, today, in every Stake of Zion, as there is a Stake president, there is also a Stake superintendent of Sunday schools, subject to the president of the Stake, with assistant officers to look after and care for the Sunday school interests in that Stake. "In the year 1877 a new feature of much importance was introduced, by direction of the First Presidency of the Church, into the services of the Sunday schools. We refer to the administration of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. It was directed that this should be done by the Bishops or under their direction. The effects of this counsel, where carried out in the spirit of the instructions given, have been marked for good. A better understanding of the divine mission of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and of His atonement for the sins of the world has been given to our children, and they are constantly reminded by partaking of these emblems, together with suitable hymns sung, and Instructions given on this subject at these times, of the necessity of honoring their Savior, of reverencing His name, and obeying His laws. "Nor in our review of what the Union has accomplished must we forget the impetus it has given to the development of musical talent in the midst of the Saints. We feel satisfied, we can say without undue vanity, that no single agency has done so much in this direction as it has and the results are eminently satisfactory, showing as a people, we have many among us whose compositions are worthy of high praise, with a constantly developing standard of excellence. The means adopted by the Union to accomplish this have been various. Among others, the constant inculcation of the necessity of good singing in the Sunday schools by all the teachers and pupils; the establishment of the Deseret Sunday School Musical Union and the organization of the Union's brass band; the holding, for many years, commencing in 1874, of musical festivals in the Large Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, an example which has been followed in many of our other large settlements; the awarding of prizes for the best original musical compositions and poetry; the publication in the Juvenile Instructor of numerous pieces of original music; the issuance of scores of thousands of musical cards; later of a Union Music Book. then a Hymn Book, and still later the publication of the Song Book and the Hymn Book now in use. Of these several editions have been already published.

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"With pleasure we refer to the value that the Juvenile Instructor, edited by Elder George Q. Cannon, has been in aiding the great Sunday school work. Its advent in January, 1866, antedated the organization of the Union, and from its commencement it has been our constant friend. The publication in its columns of the catechisms on the Bible, Book of Mormon, Church History, etc., its musical pages, its editorial teachings, and many other of its features, have rendered it a necessity in our Sunday schools whose influence can scarcely be over-estimated. It is now the recognized official organ of the General Board of the Union. Its value lies distinctly in the fact that through its pages unity and harmony of action can be brought about throughout all our schools, and the instructions of the general officers can reach the remotest schools, where otherwise, through lack of personal visits, they would often be at a loss to keep step with the rest of the Union. It is true that some slight variations, arising from local peculiarities, must always exist, and with which it would be unwise to interfere, but the general rules suggested by the Union have been almost universally adopted in our schools throughout the length and breadth of our settlements, with most gratifying results. Among these suggestions are: "That the school should always be promptly opened at the time appointed; which, wherever practicable, should be ten o'clock in the morning. "That the singing should be done by the whole school, and not simply by a selected choir of a few voices. "That the Sacrament should be administered every Sunday. "That the readers used should be the Scriptures and other works of the Church and publications approved by the General Board. "That primary and infant classes should be established, where the little ones can be taught orally by one or more of the most experienced teachers. Whenever possible this should be done in a room separate from the rest of the school. "That every school should be fully organized with a complete set of officers, and that every male officer and teacher should hold some portion of the Priesthood. "That when the school is dismissed the children should leave in order, class by class; and when consistent, to the music of a march on the organ. "That teachers' meetings should be held at least once a month, for the regulation of school matters and the instruction of the teachers. "That public reviews should be held at such stated intervals as are considered most convenient and profitable by the officers of the schools.

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"That the Sunday school officers should always work In harmony with the local presiding Priesthood, and seek to carry out their counsel with diligence and in good faith. "That continued efforts, through Sunday school visitors or otherwise, should be strenuously made to obtain the attendance at school of every child of sufficient age belonging to the ward. "It would be ungenerous not to refer to the immense amount of labor performed by the brethren and sisters of the various committees connected with the getting up and carrying to successful conclusion of our mammoth celebrations in the Tabernacle; the decorations on more than one occasion of this vast building with evergreens, flowers, etc., the formation of the beautiful centerpieces that adorned it, and many other duties associated therewith, were all labors of love, but which at the same time required much toll, unwearied patience and a large amount of time to execute. Nor were these alone; the executive, finance, musical, reception and other committees all had their hands full of a pleasurable work, and they performed it in such a successful manner as to meet, as it deserved, with universal commendation and approval from the Latter-day Saints. In 1884 the general monthly meetings were given in charge of the Stake Sunday school authorities, and the general meetings of the Union were appointed to be held twice a year at the times of the General Conferences of the Church. "Some of the principal events of recent years have been: the holding of an annual Sunday School Conference in each Stake, visited almost invariably by one or more members of the General Board; the organization of a Sunday School for the deaf mutes and one for the blind, the more thorough grading of the pupils into different departments; the establishment of Nickel Day, on which all members of the Sunday Schools are invited to contribute, at least one nickel to aid the Sunday School cause; the observance of Humane Day, on which special efforts are made to inculcate the principles and practice of kindness and mercy to animals; the holding of a Sunday School Convention in November, 1898, which was numerously attended by delegates from the different Schools and Stakes extending from Canada to Mexico, and which proved to be a grand success; the delivery of a series of lectures on Sunday School work by Dr. Karl G. Maeser at the special request of the officers of the Union; these lectures were revised and published by the Union for the benefit of the Sunday school workers; the organization by permission of the warden, of a Bible class or Sunday school in the Utah Penitentiary, by President George Q. Cannon while he and other brethren were imprisoned there for conscience sake; the special request each year for Sunday school statistics from the different missions abroad, the rapid increase of Sunday schools in those missions; and the many calls for gratuitous aid to them and other special Sunday schools responded to by the Union; the publication of the Latter-day Saints Sunday School Treatise, upon which considerable care, time and labor were bestowed, and of which, after careful revision, a second large edition has recently been issued; the publication of the first and second Book of Mormon Charts, each containing 12 original illustrations, also small

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cards on which are the same pictures and short scripture lessons, and with each chart a guide to its use; the preparation of lessons on the Bible, the Book of Mormon and History of the Church in leaflet form. The first 31 numbers contain the life of the Savior. The vast amount of literary and other work done by members of the board, much of which we have not time to even mention, has been done without pecuniary compensation. It has been a labor of love and duty. Last, but not least, interruption to the regular sessions of the Sunday schools had become so numerous through funerals and various conferences being held on Sunday mornings, and the effects of these interruptions had proved to be so injurious to this work that the First Presidency published a circular letter over their own signatures to correct this evil. This was also in harmony the action of President Young, in discontinuing the Sunday morning services in the Tabernacle, so that they might not interfere with the Sunday schools. OFFICERS OF THE UNION "First organization, November 11 1867. George Q. Cannon, President Edward L. Sloan, secretary; George Goddard and Robert L. Campbell, corresponding secretaries; Brigham Young Jr., Albert Carrington and George A. Smith, committee on books suitable for Sunday schools. "1872, George Q. Cannon, general superintendent; George Goddard, assistant general superintendent; John B. Maiben, general secretary; William McLachlan, general treasurer. "In August, 1875, Elder Maiben having been called to be Bishop at Manti, resigned the office of general secretary, and Elder McLachlan was appointed his successor. He acted as secretary and treasurer for a few months, when he was called on a mission to New Zealand. "The vacancies thus caused were filled by the appointment of Levi W. Richards (Dec., 1875) to be the general secretary and George Reynolds (Feb. 1876) the general treasurer of the Union. Elder Reynolds had been acting as auditor and treasurer, pro tem, of the Union. At the same time (Dec. 1875). Thomas Champneys was appointed assistant secretary; and after his removal to Ogden, John C. Cutler was appointed to that office and also to be assistant treasurer. "In 1878, Samuel L. Evans and William Willis were appointed Sunday school missionaries at large. In June, 1883, the organization of the general board of officers was made complete by the appointment of John Morgan to be the second assistant general superintendent of the Union. "After the death of Elder Morgan July 14th, 1894, Karl G. Maeser was appointed his successor in the superintendency. "At the close of 1890 Elder Richards resigned the office of general secretary and John M. Whitaker was appointed to that position. On his departure on a mission he was succeeded, in 1897, by George D. Pyper, the present general secretary. The resignation of

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Elder Cutler made a vacancy in the office of assistant general secretary which has been filled by the appointment of Leo Hunsaker. "The decease of Elder George Goddard in January, 1899, left the position of first assistant general superintendent of the Union vacant. "We cannot specify all the changes in the general board, but the following have been or are now members of it: George Reynolds, Thomas C. Griggs, Levi W. Richards, George C. Lambert, Louisa Lula Greene Richards, John C. Cutler, Samuel L. Evans, George H. Taylor, Abraham H. Cannon, Thomas E. Taylor, Karl G. Maeser, Joseph W. Summerhays, Charles F. Wilcox, Francis M. Lyman, Heber J. Grant, Joseph M. Tanner, Hugh J. Cannon, George Teasdale, Andrew Kimball, Joseph F. Smith, and John W. Taylor. AIDS TO THE BOARD "L. John Nuttall, James W. Ure, John F. Bennett, John M. Mills, William B. Dougall, William D. Owen, Seymour B. Young and Christian D. Fjeldsted. "The Deseret Sunday School Musical Union was organized in 1875; director, Charles J. Thomas. "The Musical Union was an organization of short duration; but the willing and efficient public services of David O. Calder, Charles J. Thomas, Ebenezer Beesley, Adam C. Smyth, John S. Lewis, Thomas C. Griggs, George Careless, Thomas McIntyre, Joseph J. Daynes, Evan Stephens and others in promoting the musical interests of our Sunday schools generally, well deserve remembrance in this brief review. ORGANIZATION "Each Sunday school when fully organized has a superintendent, first and second assistant superintendents, secretary, treasurer, librarian, chorister, and such assistant officers as may be needed. The school is graded into departments, namely: The theological, second intermediate, first intermediate, primary, and infant or kindergarten. Each department has several teachers, one of whom is appointed the head teacher in the department. "All the Sunday schools in a Stake are organized with a Stake Sunday school superintendent, first and second assistant superintendents, secretary and treasurer and assistant officers when needed. Also, in many of the Stakes, there are missionary aids, who visit the Sunday schools and labor under the direction of the Stake Sunday school superintendents to whom they report their labors.

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"Besides these are mission superintendents of Sunday schools in the different missions. "All these are included in a general organization entitled the Deseret Sunday School Union. The general supervision and management of the affairs of the Union are vested in a general board, composed of a general superintendent, first and second assistant general superintendents, general secretary, general treasurer, and assistant general secretary, an executive committee and a number of aids. STATISTICS "There was no general attempt made to gather statistics of the Sunday schools until 1872; since then efforts have been made each year to secure full and correct reports, but with only partial success. "We only attempt to give the figures of the two years, 1872 and 1898. "In 1872 there were 190 schools, of which 41 did not report. In the 149 schools reported there were 1,408 officers and teachers and 13,373 pupils. Total, 14,781. "In 1898 there were forty Stakes of Zion, containing 639 Sunday schools, 11,384 officers and teachers and 93,388 pupils. Total 104,772. Besides these there were 16 missions that reported 378 Sunday Schools, 1,933 officers and teachers and 9,998 pupils. Total, 11,931. The grand total was 116,703 officers, teachers and pupils. "In conclusion we cannot but point with gratitude and pride to the results which, under heaven's continued blessings, the Union has already brought about, and to the bright and cheering prospects that illumine our future and bid us persevere in the good work. To say that it has been a potent instrument of religious culture, of social refinement, and moral worth, a factor in the development of God's purposes, a bond of union among his people, a source of strength to the Church, and an aid to the Priesthood would, we submit, not be claiming too much; and this position is all the more gratifying when we consider how vast has been the labor performed and how slight has been the cost in dollars and cents, to the community. The officers, committees, etc., have been veritable workers without purse and scrip. We believe, though perhaps in our zeal we may err, that seldom, if ever, have as great results been achieved with so small or so few contributions from the pockets of the people; and we trust in future reports to be able to state that our publication department has become self-sustaining, or, better still, a source of income to the institution. For we have an ardent desire to increase the value of our literary productions, and so continue until the works published by the Union shall have become a power in the land for righteousness, and for our children's salvation -- a power for God and His truth."

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GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT GEO. Q. CANNON

Introduced the members of the first Sunday school, saying: "On the left of the stand are the surviving members of the first Sunday school, of which we have heard a description by Elder Lyman, and the roll will he called. The original roll, if there ever was one, cannot be found, but, after years of inquiry, a number of those who were members of that school have been found, and their names are enrolled and will he read by the secretary, and, as they are read, we wish each member to arise and say, 'present.' If there are any who are absent, whose names are called, Brother Summerhays will explain the cause of their absence. Then badges will be given to them."

SECRETARY GEORGE D. PYPER

Called the roll of members of the first Sunday school, the response to the names of those who were absent being made by Elder Joseph W. Summerhays, of the Sunday School Union general board. The roll is as follows: Richard Ballantyne died Nov. 8, 1898. Angus M. Cannon, Salt Lake City. Joseph J. Taylor, Manti, Utah. Jacob Peart, Farmers ward, Salt Lake County. Mary Ann Taylor, died in California about ten years ago. Emily Hoagland Cannon, Salt Lake City. Henry Horne, Mesa City, Ariz. Adelia West Hoagland, Salt Lake City. John T. Rich, died in Brigham City, a year or two ago. John Turnbow, Kamas, Summit Co., Utah. George J. Taylor, Salt Lake City. David H. Cannon, St. George, Utah. James Phelps, went to Australia in 1856. Never returned. Martha Van Cott Price, Goshen, Utah. Elizabeth Hoagland, died January 25, 1882. Margaret Oakley Best, Salt Lake City. Joseph S. Horne, Richfield, Utah. Richard Taylor, Ogden, Utah. Elizabeth Pugmire Taylor, Salt Lake City.

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Sophronia Ellen Leonora Turnbow Carter, St. George, Utah. Ann Longstroth Whitney, Mendon, Utah, wife of John Whitney. Augusta Braddock Clayton, Salt Lake City, wife of the late Wm. Clayton. George A. Peart, Randolph, Utah. Lydia Phelps Thorp, Salt Lake City. R. Frank Turnbow, Farmers ward. Samuel H. B. Smith, Salt Lake City. Those who responded as present were: Angus M. Cannon, Jacob Peart, Emily Hoagland Cannon, Adelia West Hoagland, George J. Taylor, David H. Cannon, Martha Van Cott Price, Margaret Oakley Best, Joseph S. Horne, Elizabeth Pugmire Taylor, Augusta Braddock Clayton, Lydia Phelps Thorp, and Samuel H. B. Smith. Special badges had been prepared for these brethren and sisters, and they were pinned upon them by a committee composed of the daughters of the members of this first school.

ELDER ANGUS M. CANNON

A member of the first school, spoke as follows: "The impression made upon my mind this evening, compared with my attendance at the first Sabbath school, is very great. There may have been fifty scholars in the original Sabbath school during the time that it was held in Brother Ballantyne's house, but if there were a dozen persons present when the class, was formed, I fail to remember it. The Fourteenth ward was fenced with poles around the entire ward, bars being placed at the entrance of each street. Brother Ballantyne's house was new, and was made very comfortable with benches constructed hastily for our accommodation. Brother Ballantyne's soul was swallowed up in the good effects that this school would have upon the youth of this people; and I will say the impressions that were created upon my mind regarding the object that God has in calling us from the world unto Zion was marked and has helped to shape my character up to the present time. "We were familiar with poverty. The meeting house that was occupied in this city, stood on the southeast corner of this block, known as the mud-covered bowery, constructed of Spanish adobies, one foot by eighteen inches in size. The meeting place we occupied in the Fourteenth ward was in the house of Dr. Richardson, a little log hut. The meeting house we occupied in the Seventh ward was Samuel Pitchforth's residence, where testimony meetings were held, and faith in God was promoted in our hearts. We rejoiced in the testimony that God gave us of His truth, having been informed by Brother Ballantyne that God had indeed restored the Gospel, established His Priesthood among men, called us from

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darkness unto, light, from the world unto Zion, and that we were not to be of the world, but that we were to be the children of God, under the everlasting covenant; being taught that Joseph the Prophet, and Hyrum, his brother, had been martyred for the testimony of Jesus, and that we should be devoted to His, cause, deny ourselves, luxuries, be content with the necessaries of life, living in houses constructed by our industry, and possessing sufficient comfort to promote our health and give us strength, that we might cultivate these then barren wastes, procure the necessaries of life, carry the Gospel to a dark and benighted world, proclaiming that God has spoken from heaven for the regeneration of mankind, and to teach us that He was our Heavenly Father, and that our destiny was to become His children and enter into His celestial presence. "How faithfully Brother Ballantyne's testimony has been observed in the increase of Sunday schools, is evidenced tonight in the number that are here assembled. And when I remember that God has promised us this increase and prosperity, and still greater increase and prosperity, provided we are loyal to Him, every fibre of my being seems to enter in with my whole soul to pledge God loyalty, to observe faithfully, to pay my tithes and offerings unto Him, in hope that He will give my children faith and make them firm supporters of His work in the Establishment of His Gospel as He has revealed it and restored His Priesthood in these the last days. "I thank you for this opportunity, and for the honor conferred upon me, and pray God's blessing to be upon the general superintendency, the superintendents, the teachers and the scholars, and all the associations of Zion throughout the whole world, in the name of Jesus. Amen." "Zion's Sunday School Jubilee Hymn," (words and music written for this occasion) was sung by the Tabernacle choir. Then followed the presentation of the gold medal awarded to Emily H. Woodmansee for the best hymn; also gold medal to the Rev. W. Daunt Scott, for the best musical composition. The presentation was made by

ELDER HEBER J. GRANT

of the Deseret Sunday School Union board, who spoke as follows: "A committee consisting of John Nicholson, Joshua H. Paul and George H. Brimhall was selected by the Sunday School Union board to examine all hymns that were submitted in

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this competition and to decide upon the best composition. The committee were unanimous in awarding the gold medal for the words of this hymn to Sister Emily H. Woodmansee. "The committee appointed to examine the music and make the award for the best musical composition consisted of Arthur Shepherd, Anthony Lund and Squire Coop. They were unanimous in awarding the gold medal to Rev. W. Daunt Scott. "The Sunday School Union always has endeavored to get the best possible results by giving medals and prizes for musical compositions, and it gives me much pleasure, on behalf of the board, to present these medals to Sister Emily H. Woodmansee and to Rev. W. Daunt Scott." The medals were pinned upon the prize winners by Mary Alice Hoagland Cannon and Maggie Peart Cardall. A POLYGLOT RECITATION OF THE ARTICLES OF FAITH was then given under the direction of Elder George Teasdale, of the Deseret Sunday School Union board. In this recitation a number of persons representing different nationalities dressed in the native costume, recited in the native tongue the Articles of Faith. On opening this exercise, Elder Teasdale read a portion of the 107th Psalm, as follows: "O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endureth forever. "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; "And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. "They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. "Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. "Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses. "And He led them forth By the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. "Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!" The recitation of the Articles of Faith was in the following order:

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"1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost." Recitation in German, by Gustave Weileman and Lena Dana, Swiss and German representatives from Bear Lake Stake. "2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression." Recitation in Danish, by Christian T. Nelson and Jensenna M. Anderson, Danish representatives from Sevier Stake. "3. We believe that, through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel." Recitation in Spanish, by S. C. Richardson and Pearl Whiting, representatives from Juarez Stake, Mexico. "4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: First, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of Hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost." Recitation in Lamanitish tongue (Shoshone), by Ammon Pubigee and Willie Ottogary, American Indians, representatives from Malad Stake; then in the Maori language, by Hirini Whaanga and Mere Whaanga, Maoris, representatives from Salt Lake Stake; in Samoan language, by Angus Alston Jr., and Tessie Garn, representatives of Salt Lake Stake, who had been on missions to the Samoan Islands; in Kanaka, by Henry Halemanu and Hannah Kaaepa, Hawaiians, representatives from Iosepa Colony; in Tahitian, by Eugene Cannon and Frank Cutler, representatives from Salt Lake Stake, who had been on missions to the Society Islands. "5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by 'prophecy, and by the laying on of hands,' by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof." Recitation in Swedish, by David Holmgreen and Emma S. Jensen, Swedish representatives from Box Elder Stake. "6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive Church namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc.' Recitation in Dutch, by Kryn Van and Maggie Abels, natives of the Netherlands, representatives from Weber Stake.

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"7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, etc." Recitation in Welsh, by Elders David L. Davis and Evan Stephens, representatives from Salt Lake Stake. "8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God." Recitation in French, by Xavier Sager and Marie Antoinette Lang, French representatives from Salt Lake Stake. "9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God." Italian representatives had been assigned this recitation in Italian, but they failed to respond and the article was read in English by Elder Teasdale. "10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes. That Zion will be built upon this continent. That Christ will reign personally upon the earth, and that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory." Recitation in Norwegian, by Leonard Willardson and Eleanor Olson, Norwegian representatives from Sanpete Stake. "11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where or what they may." Recitation in Icelandic, by Loftar Bjarnason and Dena Bjarnason, Icelanders, representatives from Utah stake. "12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents. rulers and magistrates, in obeying, honoring and sustaining the law." Recitation in Turkish, by Philip Maycock and Alice Howarth, representatives from Salt Lake Stake, the first named having been on a mission to Turkey. "13. We believe in being, honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul. 'We believe all things, we hope all things,' we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these

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things." Recitation in Celtic, by Wm. A. Morton and companion, Irish representatives from Salt Lake Stake; then in Scotch dialect, by Robert Hogg and Nettle Purrant, Scotch representatives from Morgan Stake; and in English, by David Jeffs and Sister Hyde, American, (United States), representatives from Davis Stake, by Roger Horrocks and Sarah Roberts, English representatives from Wasatch Stake, and by Ezra C. Robinson and Zina Y. Card, Canadian representatives from Alberta Stake. Elder Teasdale then stated that, in addition to the nations that had been represented in the recitation of the Articles of Faith the Gospel had been preached in other lands, as follows: Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Finland, Russia, Hungary, Bohemia, Austria, Belgium, Friendly Islands, Marquesas Islands, Tuamotu Islands, Cook Archipelago, Leaward Islands, Austral Islands, Palestine, Turkey in Europe, Danubian principalities, Spain, Hindustan, Malta, Africa, China, Siam, Chili, East Indies, West Indies, Greece, Philippines, Japan and other countries. All of those who had taken part in the recitation of the Articles of Faith then responded in unison to the following invitation from Elder Teasdale: "Now we will repeat in concert what has brought this all about, this wonderful gathering from the north, south, east and west, by a recitation of the sixth and seventh verses of the fourteenth chapter of Revelation, in the English language, by the representatives of these nations." The passages recited in concert are as follows: "6. And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." "7. Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." When this had been done Elder Teasdale spoke to the vast assemblage as follows: "We bear testimony that this angel has flown through the midst of heaven, and restored the everlasting Gospel, thus bringing to pass the gathering of this people, whom God hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy, gathered from the north, south, east and west. and brought to the marvelous light of His everlasting Gospel; and this wonderful, immense, assemblage of people gathered here tonight. to the glory of God, our Eternal Father, has been accomplished by the visitation of this angel and the restoration of the

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Everlasting Gospel. To God and the Lamb be all glory, forever and ever. Amen." It was announced by President Geo. Q. Cannon that the Deaf Mute Sunday school was on the program for the recitation of the Lord's Prayer, but the school was quarantined owing to the prevalence of scarlet fever. Instead of this exercise the assistant superintendent of the Deaf Mute and Blind Sunday school, Elder Laron Pratt, of Salt Lake City, gave, in the deaf mute sign language, the hymn, "O, My Father," which was vocalized by his daughter, Maude Pratt-Griggs, who sang the hymn in the English language. President Geo. Q. Cannon then stated that the school for the blind being quarantined also, on account of scarlet fever, the members could not be present, but in place thereof, Elder Joseph Hodgins, blind from his birth, read from the 29th chapter of Isaiah, the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 18th and 19th verses. The reading was from a Bible for the blind, the reader following the raised letters with his fingers. The verses are as follows; "9. Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. "10. For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes; the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. "11. And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: "12. And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. "13. Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the prophet of men: "18. And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. "19. The meek also shall Increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel." General Superintendent George Q. Cannon then introduced in order the Sunday school officers and teachers who had been in service for 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 years, respectively, and badges were pinned on the breasts of those present by daughters of members of the first Sunday school.

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While the badges were being distributed a selection from "Lucia di Lammermoor," by Donizetti, was played by Held's Military band,

PRESIDENT LORENZO SNOW

then briefly addressed the vast congregation as follows: "I wish that I had words to express my astonishment at what I have witnessed during the accomplishment of this program. I feel in my heart to say, God bless the Sunday School Union, and all who have taken part in pushing forward its interests. In all my travels through the world I have never seen anything that delighted me more than that which I have witnessed this evening. Your Superintendent, President George Q. Cannon, I ask that the Lord will pour His Holy Spirit upon him abundantly in the future, as He has done in the past, in carrying forward the interests of this grand and glorious Sunday school work. Nothing can be shown in the world like that that has been shown tonight. God bless every person who has been engaged in the interests of the Sunday schools -- the superintendents, the aids, and everyone that has thus been employed, God bless them. He most assuredly has blessed them, and a success has been accomplished that is certainly wonderful. GOD BLESS THE SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION. Amen."

PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH

Also addressed the meeting as follows: "It is said somewhere in the good old book that there is nothing new under the sun. That which we have witnessed here this evening comes about as near being a contradiction of this scripture as any thing I ever have seen. We will not dispute the language of the wise man in relation to this matter. We will be contented with saying that it is something that is new under the electric lights. The repetition of the "Articles of Faith' in nineteen different languages and dialects (the result of the proclamation of this Gospel within the last sixty years) is something of which we may well be proud. I congratulate the Superintendent of the Sunday Schools and his efficient aids and assistants, on the most wonderful display that has ever been made here, this evening, of the progress that is being made in the Sunday Schools, and in this glorious effort to promulgate the Truth. I can only repeat the words of our beloved President, God bless our Sunday Schools."

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PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON

then said: "It is only proper that credit should be given to those who have done the work in preparing for this Jubilee. The brethren have taken hold of this with great zeal, and, as you have seen, they have made a success of that which they have undertaken. I cannot claim any credit myself, for my other duties have absorbed my time to a great extent. Still, I have counseled and directed to some extent. The workers on the Board, however, and those who have assisted them, deserve whatever credit there is for that which we have seen and heard here tonight. I am pleased to he able to give them this meed of praise. "I may say that the Sunday school has been very dear to me. When I returned from Europe, after filling continuous missions for a long time, I felt there was an immense field in Zion for the labors of the Elders. I had seen how few souls could be gathered abroad, and when I reflected upon the numbers of our children at home, I felt a burning desire to spend all the time I could in trying to teach them the principles of the Gospel. Upon my return, in 1864, I organized a Sunday School in the 14th Ward, and other schools were organized directly afterwards. As soon thereafter as I could I published a little work, which I named the 'Juvenile Instructor.' The 'Juvenile Instructor' has been one of the best labors that I have ever been engaged in, because I have felt that it was doing good to our children. We can see today what an immense field is spread around us, furnishing every opportunity for every one who desires to thrust in his sickle and reap. "I am thankful to have President Snow and President Smith here to bless us as they have tonight, and I pray that their blessings will be fulfilled, as I know they will be." Gen. Supt. George Q. Cannon announced that those entitled to badges, who had not received them, could obtain them by calling on the secretary of the Sunday School Union, in the Union office in the Templeton building, Salt Lake City. The choir and congregation, accompanied by the organ and Held's military band, rendered, "Gather Round the Standard Bearer." Benediction was pronounced by Elder John B, Maiben, and as the audience dispersed Prof. Jos. J. Daynes rendered selections on the grand organ. GEORGE D. PYPER, General Secretary JAMES H. ANDERSON. Press Representative LEO. HUNSAKER, Reporter