Show REMARKS ON THE WORD OF WISDOM by zy elder EZRI EZRA T BEXSON BENSON in the bowery sunday sunda morning inor ning april 82 8 IM 1855 teb TED BT BY J V LONG loag I 1 feelth rejoice this tilis morning in the remarks that I 1 have heard beard and I 1 feel to bear testimony to the same and also to all the instructions given during daring this conference I 1 feel feet that it h N good to be here aud and I 1 can say that I 1 hyve hive tried to appreciate ite the blessings we ajoy enjoy in common with my brethren Itis it s indeed a privilege lege to rise before an assembly of saints in the valleys of the mountains before those that are now so comfortably and favorably located in tho ahn thi 3 place and while br georgr georga A smith wai speaking upon the word of Wis wisdom donl doni 9 there was a dream occil occurred to my mind that I 1 heard related by oneff one of the brethren a short time ago aro ile lie said there was a proc proclamation issued by the president of or the church of lesus jesus christ for the tile eders aders of or israel to collect thoe those together who had kept the commandments of god for there was a work that the lord had lud for them to pe perform form the people came together very slowly and re in a while A hila a few would come along but a leaber off was wanted and arid perhaps an el would be seen coming up but bilt it seemed to be slow work collect collecting ing the people together after a while there aa was another proclamation issued for the tiie people to come together in masses those that were true and that were known to be trying to keep the commandments of god and they then rame came up by thousands by tens of thousands and by huno huna hundreds reds of thousands I 1 felt that it was so this morning th that t that had been beer speaking had touched the right subject and it was verv very very good and arid I 1 felt ig thit it there would be very fex few in this vust congregation if they were called outa out who had kept the word or wisdom if all such were called for I 1 am pers persuaded traded that there would be very few that would come forth lut hut iut if the word were come forth all ye 50 latter day saints that are trying to keep the word of wisdom 1 I 1 feel that there would be many that would come forth and I 1 believe I 1 would be among that number that would be found trying to keep the cord of wisdom when we first heard tho the revelation upon the word of wisdom many of us thought it consisted merely in our drinking tea and coffee but it ia is not only using tea and coffee and our tobacco and whisky but it is every other evil which is calculated to contaminate this people theford the word if of wisdom implies to ceso cese from adultery to cease from all manner of excesses excesses and froin all kinds of wickedness and abomination that is s common amongst this his generation it is strictly speaking 1 keeping the commandments of god and living by every word that edeth from his month mouth this is the way that I 1 under understand stand tha the word ot 0 wisdom consequently we have to keep beep all the tha coin corn commandments maii mail dir dit lents if it I 1 understand the matter correctly in connection with A ith this word of wisdom I 1 in order tu to obtain the ilia blessings for unless we do keep tiie the commandments of god and not offend in any one pont po nt we have bot not a full claim upon the tile blessings promised in connection with this portion po artion of or lh th word of tb the e lord the lord bays says in reference to liese ilese things mentioned in the word of wisdom that they are not good food tor for or the body I 1 know that my brethren and sisters feel as I 1 do they have a desire to keep the woid wold of wisdom and know it is the wish of tile Pre presidency sideney that the elders of israel 8 should hould preach upon tile tiie word of wisdom and establish it in the minds of or the people e and suffer surfer not themselves from ironi desire to be overcome by the habits of hose those among whom they travel to preach the gospel but be all an example in all things I 1 can siy sty one thing which I 1 am very thankful for I 1 never neven partook oli of an evil in my life because my brethren did but I 1 have I 1 8 always tried to act and live upon my own agency agena V I 1 if f I 1 have sinned it has bas been through my own ignorance if ir igo I 1 go astray it is because my mind and my nature is human I 1 have ever felt determined to take a course to enjoy the spirit of tile tiie lorland Lor dand when he has left me to myself and I 1 have been tempted I 1 have always trusted in the lord and endeavored to obey him and arid not to give way to the tempter and I 1 want cant this feeling to sink deep into the hearts of every maii man and woman calling themselves latter day saints and when I 1 hear a word dropped by any one that will tend to thwart the design of G gods hol hoi hoir holy I 1 word why then I 1 feel most indignant I 1 wish to see men observe and teach the word of wisdom in their families for to see men throw a bad influence upon the word of the lord I 1 was going to say suy such a spirit is a stink in tile the n nostrils of all righteous men met many of the saints excuse themselves for chewing tobacco because others use it but let us examine ourselves ours elves elies this morning ing and see if such a it course will be justifiable beform before our heavenly father where is fhe the man that excuses himself on this account I 1 ask him is 13 it righteousness for him to excy excuse e himself in order to free himself from blame if it is not let him repent cease his ex cusat ions lons and turn unto the lord his hi god and work righteousness all the da das s of his ilia life that he may be saved in the king klug kingdom dorn of heaven you know it as an old methodist doctrine that every tub has to stand upon its own bottom and we will find that it is so before we get through yet we will find breth brethren reri and sisters rs that it is for every man and woman to take a course to savo themselves individually obey co counsel counrel unel observe all the revelations of jesus christ that shall be given to us as a people n this present age ge whether by the dreams of the ni hihl bt the visions of the day or the revelations of gods holy IS spirit pir and to follow after righteousness pursue the course marked out for the people 0 of f god and then all will be well with us iu ill this life lire and also in that which is to come I 1 feelth feel to rejoice and I 1 thank my heavenly father that we have hive escaped thus far the the tha contaminating tamina tink ting influences of the genthe genine sand I 1 always do rejoice that our lives ilves are prolonged prolong sed upon the earth I 1 never attended a conference in my life lire but hut I 1 felt thankful to god that I 1 had fellowship and a standing in the midst of this mighty people and that I 1 had some confidence before them and also the god whom nhom we serve we are indeed a blessed people prosperity attends us as a community the wicked and even the very devils are prophesying the prosperity erity of this people to suy say nothing about the ardie predictions eions of the latter das day saints thern themselves selves the great and influential amongst the tho nations are all the time speaking of or thes the success necess and prosperity that attends this people and anu ana their thein telling this is what stirs up the devil we aie going to build a temple we are now laying the foundation and when it is completed WB we expect lo 10 receive our blessings and do you think the devil knows this yes he knows all ail I 1 about it and he stirs up the wicked and why does he lie do this to hinder binder the people of god brorn obtaining the blessings they desire it the began to rain and br benson rema remarked eked well I 1 can stand eland the rain if you can brethren and sl sisters s we are neither sugar nor salt bait although we are arc a little of both give us your attention for a few m moments 0 in en ts and we will dismiss till 2 hlay blay may the lord bless you that your hearts may he be comforted comforte d and arid that you may listen to all the instructions that you have heard beard during thi this this thia is my determination hlay may god bless you christ our redeemer amen |