Show RE lk I 1 a I 1 ou S sunday services religious services were held in the tabernacle su sunday aday february IS 16 1890 commencing at 2 p in president angis M cannon presiding the choir and congregation sang the time is far spent there is little remaining ma ining to publish glad tidings by sea and by land prayer by elder henry P richards the choir sang 0 god th eternal rather father who dwells amid the sky the priesthood of the eighth ward officiated in the administration of the sacrament ELDER ELDEB JOSEPH E TAYLOR was called to address the congregation he said it was more than five years since he had had the privilege of meeting with the saints in this tabernacle to partake of the sacrament on some the request of the elders for the prayers of the saints would seem to fall fail with but little weight but the request is an earnest one from the elders who are called upon to speak I 1 feel this afternoon that I 1 need the spirit of god to direct my utterances not that the gospel is strange to me not that I 1 have failed to try and understand it not that I 1 am a a tranger stranger to its true genius but that I 1 might select those ideas and proclaim those principles that will be in harmony with the will of god and be accompanied by his power we claim to have the principles of life and to have authority to call upon men everywhere to repent our 0 ur religion is if unpopular and in some gome respects conflicts with the views that have been held by men for ages past and that are claimed to have become sacred by time it has been difficult even for the elders to rid themselves of the traditions of their fathers and it is a question whether there are not many who are still to some extent under the influence of those traditions I 1 it is not our mission to tear down any creed but it is our calling to proclaim the truths which god has revealed wherever and whenever we have opportunity what feature of the gospel it is objectionable to good christians when they are understood not one faith repentance baptism fur for the remission of sins are not objectionable principles these have the sustaining influence of time and that essential for their divinity the approval of god by him they were revealed I 1 and taught so 80 also was the principle of the laying on OB of bands for the gift of the holy ghost as well as all the principles that bring salvation salvati joseph smith never taught a doctrine which god did not reveal joseph never originated a principle god to Is the author of all and has maintained them though the prophet through whom they were revealed died many years ago age brigham young who succeeded joseph in the presidency of the church varied not an iota from the principles taught by joseph in all his ministrations he maint maintain alnet the laws of god he pawed passed ioway away leaving the gospel as it came from the almighty another true and tried man succeeded him and there was no variance in him the gospel gosi I 1 was the same as in the days of joseph in the same purity in which it was revealed A fourth president has been elected and our religion is still the same it has been assailed by the powers of darkness but remains intact there has been no innovation no change men have expressed their individual views and feelings but these have not changed the doctrines there is no influence existing that can change in any degree the fundamental principles of the gospel if in promulgating those principles we come in contact with the ideas of men we have not placed ourselves in ia antagonism to them we are only proclaiming proc laming that which god has revealed no one no matter how great his position in the church has the right to vary in the least degree from true principle he cannot do so under the influence of the holy boly ghost the saints have been taught by the lord his spirit rests rents upon them and they cannot he be deceived by man there is not a more independent people or a people with better judgment pertaining to these things than are the latter day saints if we permit the principles of the goo gospel pel we have received to control our lives it will bring us back into the celestial kingdom of our god if anaman any man uses these principles for mercenary or selfish motives except he repents he will be condemn ed the man who wields the priesthood must do it as god has haa revealed or his condemnation is certain man may debase himself but unless he repents there will be a waning of his bis influence among the people and when he be stands before the saints to proclaim the gospel they dise discover over that thep is a lack of influence and of power ills his wrong doing may be unknown to man but the holy spirit will not abide with him and his wickedness will be made known today to is a day of repentance mercy forgiveness and long suffer ing we nave not passed from the time of atonement unless the sin unto death has beep been committed the man who commits adultery will be followed into the future by the consequence of md crime he must meet the results of his wrong there is a measure of forgiveness here for many wrongs but for some there is none the murderer cannot restore the life he took he may offer his own but he be cannot restore the other and is without forgiveness in this world or the world to come but for lesser offenses the people are not cut off from and atonement we hav 91 weaknesses nesses and tho the adler adversary sary attacks the weakness of our bodies god speaks to the spirit to the intellect telle ct and leaves that spirit to control and sanctify the body its tabernacle and prepare it for its ite abode the adversary endeavors to make the spirit a bondsman to the tabernacle and cause the spirit to be subject to that which is inferior the world need not fear the principles of mormonism for they cause an increase of love mercy virtue honor justice and truth among men they tolerate no wrong they provide mercy for the repentant repentant one but recognize yao no wrong whatever with all the influence brought to bear against our religion we expect to stand by its principles b by god gods Is help even to tc the death kore more its is expected of us than of any other people 1 in our religion there is no license license for evil there is no right given for anything but buff virtue and truth this is my testimony to you I 1 am proud of our religion its principles and ord ordinances 1 bances nances and I 1 hope to be able to maintain my integrity and transmit to my posterity an example of honor that they will emu late may this be the privilege of eack ea chone one of us PRESIDENT ANGUS M CANNON said mid he was gratified at again listening to the testimony of brother taylor the lord has restored the gospel to the earth through jose joseph h smith mith his prophet he calls te the world to repentance to make restitution for wrong the repentance taught by jesus christ is the re pen peu tance proclaimed by his prophet joseph smith the baptism that john the baptist preached when he came cama in the wilderness to is the same baptism as taught by the lat t ter r day saints abraham all for the truths truth Is sake he was tested by the lord even to the core and was found faithful for this he be was honored and blessed by the al mighty borall for all that he had done john the baptist called the attention of the jews to the fact that while they clain claimed aed to be the children of abraham they did not do the works of abraham john preached the coming of christ and when the lord came he was baptized of john satan tempted him but he withstood and overcame the evil joseph smith taught the truths which were revealed to him by the lord jesus he received the priesthood by ordination and the gospel began to spread in the land to joseph the lord proclaimed a gathering dispensation and the saints have been gathered the lord has blessed us in this regard and let us not forget him jose joseph 1 h 1 told us we would be more tried att with h riches than with ith poverty he told us we would increase in power in the mountains and we have done so till there seems to be a great alarm about it the blessing of of increase has come and the temptation of riches is before us we have opportunities cities to dispose of our inheritance for money we are to be tried as to whether we will forsake our religion and our god what will be our course the egyptians dreaded the increase of israel and were trained to put the children to death with us there are re influences more dan dangerous than chi 0 or t than any y public meas I 1 ure that has been adopted aga against irist us these influences influence are those of the example of professed christian jh ristian deop peo peB edw whose ose homes are childless kee keep these theae influences out of your lUmi lieB holthe the curse of god will be visited upon those who submit to them happy are they who have the fellowship of god what if we are de priced of political privileges what if the power of death cumes comes into our midst three presidents of the church have passed away avay I 1 remember the scene when joseph smith was vas taken and when he know knew he was go going ng to his death he suggested to his brother hyrum to depart but hyrum stood b by joseph alq and died with him they sealed their testimony with their blood we have reaped the berie benefits fits of their sacrifice shall we now turn from our course of righteousness or shall we stand firm in the blessings of the god has given io us this land fur for a home a laud land where tyranny shall not prosper if we lionor honor min though the nations of the earth may rise against us the almighty will maintain his people in the midst of these mountains the towers ot of zion shall shine and christ will come and reign I 1 say hosanna the lord god omnipotent reig neth I 1 let us be true to him let us walk in the paths of truth and prison walls and bars cannot shut out the love of god from our hearts may his peace be with us that we may be full of love and charity for all and be faithful to th that at which is good and we twe then will the lord bring salvation salvati on to his people sister lizzie thomas rendered a solo the king of love my shepherd is and the choir sang the anthem praise ye the father the closing prayer was offered by patriarch jhn john smith |