Show GENERAL CONFERENCE General Semi Semi-An- Semi An y The Sixtieth W NOW Conference ce of the Church of J ow Christ of Latter-day Latter Saints ned in the Tabernacle Salt 1 ke City at 10 am a m October w were on the stand of the Presidency Wilford Wood Wood- Wood nd George Q Cannon of the C of the Twelve Apostles Lrenzo 4 om Snow Moses Thatcher is 8 M Lyman John Henry S Heber J Grant and J Joh oh u n W T or r i of Cou Counselors to le t the Twelve AJ I A W Young Patriarch if J Smith of the Presiding Coun Coun- Cound Council q d cil of t the Seventies Henry Herri- Herri TiT Herri-TiT Jacob Gates Abraham H pon Seymour B Young John and B H Roberts re were also present a large her of Presidents of Stakes andt and t prominent brethren from varl- varl of Utah and surrounding and nd d Territories E rence ce was called to order by byrn nt George Q Cannon The Cannon choir sa sang ng r f f fife ib world I the he Lord will come earth receive her King literary f heart eart prepare Him room H Baiata ta is and anges angels sing W 12 ilog prayer was offered by y Snow t ti i J j cf C 1 a Singing Come listen to a Prophets Prophet's voice And hear the word ol of God And in the way of truth rejoice And sing for joy aloud PRESIDENT WILFORD WOODRUFF addressed the assemblage as follows I feel very thankful that my life has been preserved to attend another annual semi annual conference of the Church of ot Jesus Christ of Latter Latter- Latter day day Saints I hope and trust that while we are together our hearts may be lif lifted d in prayer to God and that we may enjoy His Holy Spirit and the revelations of heaven that what may be said while we are as- as assembled assembled as assembled together during our confer confer- conference conference conference ence may be according to the mind of God I feel that of all people under heaven we have the greatest rea reason n nto to rejoice oice before the Lord that we have lived in a day Jay and generation when the God of Israel Isra l has seL c 11 L His I hand to establish His Ki Kingdom to gather together His people to build buildup buildup buildup up Zion to carry out the great pur pur- purposes purposes ur- ur poses which the Lord has promised and given by revelation through the mouths of inspired Prophets men men Patriarchs and Apostles since Apostles since the world began I 1 rejoice in the Gos Gos- Gospel Gospel Gospel pel of Jesus Christ I always have since I have been made marte acquainted with it it It has been m anu ana privilege Latter to be associated with the Latter day Saints for over fifty years I have seen the afflictions the tribulations the persecutions through which this people hav have been called to pass from their organization until the present day But we have everything to encourage us as the Saints of God Godas as those who have entered into cove cove- covenant covenant covenant nant with Him obeyed His com com- commandments com com- commandments commandments and walked in the ordinances ordinances ordinances nances of His house The Lord has never in any dispensation or gen gen- generation gen generation generation failed to carry out His purposes and His works and of 1 all the generations and dispensations that God has given to men this last and great the dispensation dispensation the greatest of all aU has dispensations dispensations has been re- re revealed revealed re revealed to the human family The Kingdom has been revealed the Ch Church of Jesus Christ has been organized the Zion of God has been inaugurated the people of ot God have been called together and in all the troubles and trials through which 1 I Y we as a people have been called to pass gas there has been no power that stayed the hand of God or thwarted His purposes with regard ard to the carrying out of His princIples or those which have been revealed unto the Latter-day Latter Saints The Lord has called called commencing ing with Joseph Smith the Prophet of God Apostles and Prophets I Patriarchs and Elders High Priests and Seventies in these lust lut days to togo togo go forth and warn the world We have been under the necessity of doing this As the Lord toll toli Ez- Ez Ezekiel Ez-ekiel Ez ekiel He sent him as a watchman unto the Hou House e of Israel He told him what the consequences would be if he did not fulfil his mission and do his that duty duty that the blood of that generation of the House of Israel Israela a would be required at his hands So r the God of heaven ordained when He raised up Joseph Smith the Pro Pro- Prophet Prophet lit lit- phet to organize this Church and Ki Kingdom He stood as a watchman on the walls of Zion unto this gene gene- generation generation generation ration There are people I suppose today dwelling in these hills ef of Israel who hold some por por- por- por tion portion of the Holy Priesthood It is t our tour duty to warn the world we have been called to do this we would have been under condemnation if we had hadnot hadnot not fulfilled that duty and so the Church and Kingdom of God have f grown until the present day R inthe With regard to our future it is In the hands of God who holds the destiny of this people and of aU all allmen allmen men In His own hands I would say to the Latter-day Latter Saints Fear Fearnot y no not lay Jay your burdens upon the L Lord rd and He will not fail fall us He will not fail in carrying out all His purposes and all aU His promises unto us The Zion of God will arise and so will the glory and power of God and we shan shall be prepared as a bride for or the coming of the bridegroom 5 Let our hearts be raised to God K while we are assembled together in inthis f this Conference Conference that we may have His Holy Spirit with us continually APOSTLE JOHN W TAYLOR a awas was the next speaker His remarks were as follows in substance I am pleased to meet with the Saints in Conference once more It is a sur- sur surprise surprise sur surprise prise to me to be called to speak s k thus early I regard it as 88 my duty tore tore- to re- re respond spond to every call made by the Presidency residency of the Church I hope 3 i s r hv oj J J the day will never come when any c cother other sentiment will animate me President Woodruff and his coun coun- counselors counselors counselors are actuated by the Spirit of off f God to which we would do well to take heed We look to these brethren as having the Spirit of revelation a when they are united When I Christ realized His time had f come He ie e asked His Father if it were possible for the bitter cup to pass to lo let it be so o nevertheless I that the will of the Father be done I and not His We should sustain by by's s 's our faith prayers and works those f t whom God has appointed to preside over the t toe e Church When men write writer r under the influence of the Spirit of God it is revelation In order to reveal the mind of our Father in r heaven it is not necessary that He Her r should come down to earth person person- personally personally I ally to make A communication Many of the revelations given through Joseph Smith were ob obtained ob- ob obtained obtained by that prophet listening to the whisperings of the still small voice within him It has been remarked about some men that they suddenly become ab- ab absorbed absorbed ab absorbed in some line of ideas The impressions of the Holy Ghost come like flashes of light and without the presence of doubt or darkness They have to be acted upon forthwith I bear testimony that President Woodruff and his Counselors are r prophets seer and revelators and 1 the people should remember that especially in these times they J should by si sight ht Circum Circum- Circumstances Circumstances Circumstances stances are of such a nature that the righteous must live by faith The hand of God is over this Church and no power can destroy it or impede its progress I pray however that it may not be necessary necessary necessary sary for tor us to be chastened in order L to bring us into a disposition of obe- obe obedience obedience obe obedience I believe in implicit obedi- obedi ence in temporal spiritual things to the light of heaven as given through the Priesthood lf If this principle were taught us more frequently it would be better for us as a community We cannot retain the Spirit of God and yet be constantly finding fault with the Priesthood We should y not expect perfection from those who hold that authority They are mortal as other men but they are called of God We must learn not noty notto y 1 f to judge men by what we see noron nor noron noron on the basis of the limited opportunities opportunities opportunities we have of what transpires When we have an Impression dero dero- derogatory tt ui of our brother Jb it is B our duty t tie to go to him personally and in that t- t tway r way get an understanding of the thee e matter involved We should be pos- pos the spirit of unity We should should not criticize the authorities Our z enemies seek to sow among us the they ii y seeds of dissension they wish to seg seg- seg segregate regate the Saints into f factions In this this this- endeavor th they y turn truth into the it itI I semblance of falsehood and virtue y into vice Hasty conclusions are aret aref t dangerous and should not be ar- ar arT arrived T rived at There are many honor honor T r able men and women who respect our rights right l but the great majority f do not 1 F j I have been associated with the the the- authorities of the Church for years and I have never seen in their der de- de j J r i f oc i t oJ liberations any disposition toward unrighteousness I bear testimony that they have acted in the spirit of their calling as well as any men menon menon menon on earth could have done If a duty is required of us and it itis itis itis is not diligently performed instead of having a spirit of light and com com- comfort comfort comfort fort we are possessed of a sen- sen sentiment sentiment sen sentiment of heaviness When I acted as Te Teacher cher it was a great trial for me to visit the houses of some of the people When this feel feel- feelIng feeling feeling ing was overcome and the obliga obliga- obligation obligation tion discharges discharge joy was the result When it overcame me and I have been neglectful then I have had hadI I heaviness of spirit So it is in all the labors that are required at our hands We should not be afraid to speak our feelings freely at this Confer Confer- Conference Conference Conference ence May the fire of the Spirit of God increase as this Conference progresses This will be the case it we lay aside Bide our cares of a worldly character that are liable to fret and annoy us Let us centre our prayers and faith in a desire that the ser servants ser ser- servants servants of God may speak those things that will be adapted to the wants of the people If this is done the result will be all that could be desired The speaker concluded c by bearing testimony to the truth of the work of God PRESIDENT WOODRUFF said We wish to hear from all aU the theA A Apostles es Presidents and Seventies and as many Elders as we can dur dur- during during ur- ur ing this Conference We want to toI I feel what spirit they are of I should I Ibe be glad to sit and listen to the testimony testimony testimony mony of every Elder in this congre congre- congregation congregation congregation gation at our several meetings but butof butof butof of course that cannot be I will call now upon Elder Jacob Gates to address us ELDER JACOB GATES of the presidency of the Seventies then spoke to the Conference If we have received the Gospel in honest hearts and have kept our covenants we have received the witness of the Spirit of God of its truth I received d the Gospel 56 years ago under the administrations administrations of t Apostle Apostle- Orson Pratt and fr m that time I have hare known of th the truth of this Church Church divine origin In the darkest days when I have been thrown throw n into prison on false charges I have always al ways been able to bear this testimony Not only did I receive this witness through the impressions of the Spirit of Truth but also by the ministration of angels I met the Prophet t Joseph Smith in 1834 inthe in inthe Inthe the camp of those who were gath gath- gathered gathered gathered ered together to go up to redeem Zion which has not yet been redeemed but it will be in the future During my travels of a thousand miles I became well ac- ac acquainted acquainted ac acquainted with the Prophet Joseph I became satisfied from personal knowledge and observation that he was the great Prophet of the Nine Nine- Nineteenth Nineteenth Century and a greater Pro Pro- Prophet Prophet Prophet phet by way of comparison has never lived on the earth I know that he was a Prophet of the living God and that his words have been fulfilled You who are here today c L- L are witnesses of the fulfilment of his predictions for before he died he be said that this people should live to go tc the valleys of the Rocky Mountains that they would drink of the cool streams which flow down from the canyons and would c r remain maln here until they became a great and powerful people people I liv lived d as his neighbor after he was driven out Nau- Nau Nauvoo Nauvoo Nan I knew him well I saw him himin himin himin in life and also in death when his blood had been shed by a ruthless mob in this land of freedom I have never known his blood to be atoned f for ir The people of the world do not understand us nor the works we are performing at present If they did they would Id come to us and acknowledge acknowledge edge that is the work of God Every day Latter day Saint should prepare for forthe the great events of the future Letus Let Letus Letus us be humble and faithful and be united as the heart of one man In Iniquity In- In Iniquity iq should be searched out and our houses set in order This is in uBI- uBI liaison son with a revelation on that sub sub- subject subject given through President John Tay Taylor lor The speaker exhorted the I quorums of Seventies especially f to pu purify their organizations organization fiba that at they may be prepared to wield weld a a greater influence in the midst of ot the world Zion Is the In h A therefore fore the work of f each officer and member of the Church Is to purify the h heart that the community community ty may be fully In accord with the genius of the Gospel Every Sain Saint this must cultivate faith and purity in i t- t his own heart I have spoken of Joseph Smith I can also bear testimony testimony mony mony regarding Brigham Young who was his successor as the head Of the Church on earth I heard beard him speak with the voice of Joseph after the latter's latter death I have the same testimony to bear concerning John Taylor and Wilford W Woodruff Woodruff ELDER 0 C W PENROSE is said d substantially I desire to re- re respond respond re respond spond when called upon to an any duty du duI I am requested to perform Wave I have al always ways had that desire In my eary early experience I was advised by a laborer aco-laborer laborer co-laborer never to decline to per per- perform form anything which I was re re- re requested quested to do by brethren in au authority au- au authority If I responded cheerfully I would be sustained of the Lord I have proved this advice to be good It bas been acted upon and the result has been always satisfactory I rejoice In this work How sweet it is to hear good words The effect is peace and union On theother the theother other hand how disagreeable is ie the result of saying Baying that which bring brin disunion political Difficulties and otherwise otherwise are are growing up around us but we need not fear them As quoted by President Woodruff Woodruff it IN 18 INthe the Fathers Father good pleasure in the proper time to give ua us the kingdom and and the power thereof We need not fear the threats that are made against us for God is with this work The government of God Is i |