Show sunday services religious reli 9 ious services were held in ahe vie tabernacle salt lake city aday oct 20 1889 commane im ig at 2 pm president angus M aguon non presiding the choir sang 0 jesus the giver of all we enjoy prayer by elder lars eggertson Egger teon the choir sang prayer is the souls sincere desire uttered or unexpressed the priesthood of the thirteenth officiated in the aida of the sacrament ELDER EL DEB LARS LABS EGGE RIISON WM called to address the alon he said he had just returned atom denmark where he had been laboring as a missionary for the i 9 mh two and a half years s he was 14 ad to have that opp opportunity opportune ity of ring iring his testimony to the truth the gospel of jesus christ as baled led through the prophet joi h smith although previous to going on his mission he V inight ht have been somewhat careless negligent in regard to the duties W lien ich devolved upon him as a youth zion yet since he went out into fase w world 0 ald to bear his testimony to the gospel 1 he had learned to realize sat great res responsibility which rested R jitt pon him as an ambassador and w servant of god from the time thal he commenced his labors he never for a moment doubted the power we r of the work in which lie he was 1612 engaged and when he bore his tes um ony to the people abroad he did fell of sincerity knowing this to tl dubne aone other than the work of god e felt proud that he was born in atah it where w here the true principles sciples of the are proclaimed and that from i infancy he had been instructed te in those prine I 1 which our lord and savior himself itself taught while ae wandered upon the earth to bem that gospel had become plainer fe k bb by day V briefly ve yuly recounting the miss missionary conary labors bors lie he had pursued while inden er iabry r k elder eggertson remarked tb there ere remained much work for I 1 vw the honest in heart among the lat 3 fer yet to do often lite ahe lonar 0 11 aries fes had much to encounter it prejudice to fight against but irig rig daunted they felt proud to have tibe privilege of representing hie people who dwelt in these valleys in n the he honorable light in which wey should tie be placed before the world Q CANNON read a portion on 0 of f 11 alth th chapter of Vs epistle to the hebrews on subject of faith I 1 have listened b continued continue do with much pleasure 1 the testimony of brother eggert pi it is the same as that of all all the ra of this church who go forth of life and salvation the nations of the world in remarks are found the success and sand power which al wend attend the proclamation of the gospel of christ if there should be an inqui inquirer ier desirous of knowing how it is is that our elders go forth and preach what IF is popularly called Mormon isip sir pa but which we call the gospel of jesus christ the reason jeison for the strength endurance and patience manifested is found in the testimony which has been already borne this afternoon it is because god gives unto his faithful servants a testimony concerning Hi his truth struth we can send our elders out by hundreds with perfect confidence to meet all the hardships privations and afflictions which may lie before them because of their advocacy of so unpopular a religion as that which the lord has given unto us to declare to the nations of the earth every parent who parts with his son feels perfect confidence upon his departure though tie he may go forth without money to sustain him without experience peri ence in the things of the world and without friends when he reaches his destination at least only such as god will give unto him that parent knows that if he will do right he will receive the blessing of god during his absence and return strengthened in the faith of the ever lasting gospel it is this feature which constitutes the strength of this church that makes it a power in the earth and developed dev elopes our faith I 1 have been led to think that some of the latter day saints do not appreciate as they should the power of faith I 1 fear there is too much of a disposition growing up in our midst to walk by sight and not by faith I 1 have heard it remarked that some at least of our people occasionally casio nally feel discouraged and dis heartened at the prospect before them and are disposed to look at the dark side of affairs anticipating disaster and imagining that some fate awaits us which is very serious in its character and from which it is useless to make any effort to escape I 1 do not know myself how general this feeling may be but I 1 will say to you now that the results of this whole work in which we are engaged from the time of its 1 inception have been according to the mind and will of god and not to the judgment of man if the latter day saints had believed in the beginning of this work that which was said bythe by the people of the world they would have sat down and resigned themselves to the fate which was predicted for it but this was not the spirit of him whom god chose to lay the foundation of this great work the prophet joseph smith it was not the spirit of those associated with him they were filled with faith and when this church numbered not more than would occupy a small room I 1 have heard those who were present declare on many occasions since that they heard the elders eders then predict in the plainest manner that which we now behold concerning the fruits of this work they foresaw by the spirit of god bythe by the spirit of prophecy which he poured out upon them its As development and advancement and the mighty results which would be accomplished through the preaching of the gospel unto the inhabitants of the earth no greater evidence can be adduced of the divinity of the mission of joseph smith of his prophetic office than the predictions which he uttered in early days concerning concer the future of the great latter day work before such a principle as the gathering was known among men much less taught as a doctrine the prophet joseph shadowed foreshadowed fore the gathering of this people together from distant lands and the building up of a great power called zion in the earth those who had faith believed him though they were mobbed and driven their property despoiled their houses burned their cattle shot down their fields and gardens destroyed and they themselves became homeless wanderers they never dever lost sight of the great prophecies uttered in their hearing concerning the future they were undaunted in the midst of their afflictions unyielding in their faith through all the trials and vicissitudes which surrounded them they never once lost sight of the promises of god unto this people but believed as firmly as vb W can believe today with all our experience that the church of god would roll forth in mighty power that it would increase in numbers in strength and everything which would make it great in the midst of the nations of the earth until it would accomplish all the purposes which god has predicted by the mouths of his holy prophets there were some it is true who did not have this faith they faltered doubted and fell by the wayside they lost their faith becoming al alarmed amed at the seriousness of tie the position in which they seemed to be placed and at the threats made against them but those who kept their faith in god and in his promises did not falter mobs might surround them as they did armed to the teeth threatening their lives or endeavoring to exterminate them and their religion from the face of the earth but they pursued unfalteringly the path tb marked out putting their trust in n the god who had created them and whose word they knew could not fall fail Il dilating lating upon the sorrowful experiences perien ces of the saints in illinois and the seemingly insurmountable difficulties which persistently beset them the speaker pointed out that through rill all these trials and afflictions the people steadfastly maintained their faith in god confident that he who founded this work and had thus far cared for it would still continue to shield and protect it and carry it forward until its agh est destiny had been attained president cannon next touched upon the wan wanderings derin 9 8 of the saints sainte after their expulsion from nauvoo in the depths of winter at length the word was given to move none knew whither but california was talked of as the place of destination california was then an immense area extending from the rocky mountains clear to the pacific and of it but little was known when the saints sainte left sis armr nauvoo they were full of faith in god all they knew was that they were going westward led as they believed by the servants ot of god and having no doubt in their hearts as to the ultimate result this was the feeling which supported them through all their weary wanderings C i the entire history of this peo people A e is an illustration of the glorious principle of which paul writes so beautifully in his epistle to the hebrews there is a power in faith which makes apparently impossible things easy of accomplishment I 1 dread more than anything except actual transgression to hear of latter day saints becoming supine careless aud and indifferent and imagining ing that certain things will ill happen despite their efforts to overcome them I 1 then lose heart because I 1 know that when such a feeling pro pre vatis satan has gained his point Wea we are rethen then in iii the worst possible condition the enemy likes likes to weaken your hands to make your hearts sick within you to take from you every hope nothing would please satan or his satellites better than to see you lose faith in gods cause banish all feeling of despair from your hearts men women and children we have a tremendous work to do in the earth and if we allow ourselves to be discouraged by obstacles we shall prove ourse hes es unworthy of the trust god has reposed to in us strengthen yourselves in in the lord this is a good day for zion I 1 never myself knew a better I 1 never saw a happier time when there was more cause for joy and 4 thanksgiving we may have trials and sorrows to encounter still but let us accept them as coming from god who will neither forget nor forsake us let us reflect upon the many times he has delivered us he has never refused to listen to us he has always provided a way of escape for us and filled us with his holy spirit when we have sought fr for it let us put our trust in god and I 1 can testify w will ill then lead us onward until we enter into his presence and are crowned with glory at his right band vocal solo I 1 come u unto n to me 11 by miss crissie lawson anthem by the choir chois who is like unto the lord benediction by elder john morgan |