Show tiro i kw guv alfi LAM deml a AFTERNOON SERVICES SMOOT AND ELDER IV H KELSEY SPEAK the people exhorted to of their wickedness monday 2 p m president smoot called the congregation to order and the choir sang the hymn on page commencing with all my powers of heart anil tongue ill praise my maker in my bong prayer was offered by bishop J W the choir sang from page 66 ill praise roy maker while iv breath and when my voice is lost in death A 0 SMOOT apologized to the audience for the promise of the attendance of one of the twelve made by president john thia morning the announcement had not boea made for the purpose of drawing the people to get herbut had been made by mistake father graves had seen bishop tanner of payson on the streets and had spoken to him he thought it was apostle john hanry smith and had addressed him as such this is how the report had got abroad that apostle john henry smith would be present this afternoon to address the people ELDER WM H KELSEY of spring vine felt inadequate to occupy such an important position before the people unless ho had the faith of the saints and the assistance of god J havo often asked myself the question when reflecting upon the present condition of the people if history repeats itself what may we expect wo know by reading ancient history the of god to his people in other dispensations and I 1 have often wondered if we as a people can realize tho consequences that attended the indifference of ancient israel the lord has peculiar ways of testing his people by allowing their enemies to become a scourge unto them we know how he allowed the egyptians to make the israelites slaves and serfs until they humble their hearts then he brought them from under the egyptian yoke and made them a highly favored people but abot until thoi trace the history of gods people from the very beginning and you will find that it has invariably been the case we have got to give our selves to god and do his divine will if we export his protection sometimes we imagine that we cannot give time to attend our conferences so busy are we with the things that pertain to this life in ancient days the used to meet not only for a say but a weak and in ezekiel wo read where the people assembled together for two weeks at one time at mhd feast of the passover we cannot civo too much time to the devotion of god unless we turn minds to the things of the kingdom more than wo are doing will visit us with his displeasure and scourge us as he did his ancient people how was it with them wo find that so long as they worshipped wor shipped god they were a prosperous and a mighty people but when they transgressed the laws changed the ordinances and broke tho naw and everlasting covenants god visited them with fury poured out nations that were onca great are now almost obliterated from the history of the present aga the attention to tho history of the jews and the grecian government and showed wherein the strength of those two great nations lied principles advocated by ma hommed although in himself a dalae prophet contain germs of truth and can not help but impress the student with lovo for the sublime today to day we find the promises of god mado m past ages baing fulfilled to tho very letter wo soe around us tho condition of this people and the position we occupy in the earth and wo cannot help but reflect upon the great responsibilities resting upon us what are we dawg to stay the hand of god from allowing us to bo whipped by the nations do we raise our voice in sincere supplication to him for his divine protection J am afraid not I 1 look around me and I 1 seo our meetings poorly attended and I 1 wonder if wo realize our obligations I 1 turn my attention in other directions and I 1 find nearly two hundred of our brethren occupying a felons cell as many more in exile thousands of children that have not a kind fathers caresses and hundreds of our sisters who have not the counsel of a companion whose fault is all this can we say we have not helped this condition of things to come upon us have we lived uprightly befaro the lord have we attended to our duties have wo h paid our tithes aal offer in gs do we not know that when we become indifferent in thih last respect tha oarth will refuse to give of her support the saloons and thea atres offer more inducements now than our meetinghouse meeting house what a change to that of twenty five years ago then wo wore on the road to independence then our little girta would twist tho spinning wheel and conr women would weave the fabric from which our clothing was made what a change I 1 repeat has como avor this people if we judge from the past and if history repeats itself there is going to be a groat reformation among us and some sore trials will be our portion matters have got to change the hearts of men are as embittered against laople as was hernds of old ther wish to see the priesthood destroyed aa badly as did pharaoh then bow shall we act shall wo continue to manifest a spirit of i allow zion to continue to be a bibs and a byword in the midst of the nation ko god forbid we know that this people will not be annihilated but certain things are going to transpire which wo little will try us to the very core and will humble us as were the Nep hites of old when the lord commanded them to give one half of their possessions that is a littlemore than our tithing may god grant that we mav turn over a new leaf and commence a work of reformation that will be the means of staying this persecution the speaker closed with a powerful testimony lo 10 the divinity of moamoa ism and exhorted the saints to continue faithful te the end PRESIDENT SMOOT deemed it his duty in the capacity he occupied to talk to the people concerning several things that were on his mind in the remarks made during conference but very little had been said about the various organizations in the church for the work of the ministry the perfecting of the saints the edifying of the body of christ till we all come to the unity of the faith reference had been mada to the work to be performed by the biome missionaries who were sustained this morning by the conference to carry the bread of life to the people and kindle anew within them the flame of the spirit as when they firt heard the gospel what a glorious day that was how we then enjoyed the words of salvation as they flowed from the mouths of gods servants we then loved to hear them speak a stranger we would not follow in our reflections upon the drift ings of this people into the scenes of babylon we as the presidency of inis stake have pondered upon what methods wo should adopt to strengen st rengen people and encourage them back ato the eternal truth wo finally agreed upon having laborer in the vineyard we wrote to president woodruff and asked his views in the matter ho approved and as a result wo ansta ned several brethren this morning to attend to this matter sunday will not accomplish the work to be done people who need nourishment do not get a chance to hear the general home missionaries so we have selected these six brethren to travel and preach from house to house as the missionaries do in other countries these men aro I 1 think men of example men who pay their tithes men who pay their offerings fe keep the word of observe the sabbath and keep in fact the commandments of god if we find out they are not the kind of men we expect they are wo with them and try somebody else we want the saints to receive them into their homes and feed them and encourage them in the good work they aro set apart to performs perform I also want to say to the people that zion is struggling for a in your midst she needs sustaining in all her institutions and organizations our coop co op stores are suffering while jews gentiles strangers and aliens are flourishing in our midst many of these characters fatten on our patronage and use the means we give them to injure the cause of zion what a departure this is but what use is it for me to speak of it from the stand it only helps io make the saints rush more to patronize them at least it seems like it woe be unto the latter day Saints when they take of the things of the lord and give them to the enemies of zion while our financial institutions are suffering our enemies are rejoicing and saying we are weakening as a people we have not enough interest in the things of god to poll a good vote for our delegate to congress we did not have energy enough at our last election to go to the polls and voto for our friend at our municipal election our voto was a disgrace to us and the result was we aavo our city away we pave the eity government to a set of men taho opened the flood gates 0 intoxication to our youth ani who said when accused of it the youth must be tried in all things such men as those boar the priesthood and yet endorse the tribune doctrine that these things are adjuncts of civilization and should exist shame on such what is th consequence T the consequence is our bons eons and our daughters are losing confidence in the things of israel and are running after the gilded toys of babylon but just as suro as we repent not god will rebuke this people and will call us to account We have belief societies cie ties improvement associations and sunday schools in our midst and in some instances they are poorly attended our badiea have so much to do that they cannot meet together to enjoy the society of their sisters but I 1 am happy to say that it is not so much so with the children they are moro pure they have not advanced so much as to cigarettes chew tobacco drink whisky visit bawdy houses and do other things which to flomo extent our youth are guilty of I 1 want to say to those who preside over these various organizations wake up the youth of zion and raise the warning voice teaching the sons and daugh tarr of zion the principles of eternal truth and exhort them to attend to the sacred obligations the lord has placed upon them this is the warning I 1 feel it my duty to give to the beach of all these organizations wake up and discharge tb duties tho lord requires you to perform when you fulfill these obligations you will get your reward in heaven as well as upon the earth there are other very important things that should be talked upon among us there aro too many sabbath breakers they do not sunday nor do they give our animals rest we have too many friends to seo too many resorts ia the canyons to go to and in consequence we neglect our meetings in our exercises exorcises in parties and dances we are not consistent with our professions wo want too much round dancing I 1 dont want any one to ask my daughters to engage in round dances I 1 conjure you to leave thase things alone if you dont darkness will settle upon you the theartres theatres the atres 1 will not upon it is nearly time to adjourn our conference you can now go home and criticism criticise critic ise my remarks as much as you like but I 1 dont intend to cry peace and safety when there is danger ahead the choir sang the anthem lord now wettest thou thy servant depart in peace benediction was pronounced by president david john conference waa adjourned till the first saturday and sunday in march |