Salt Lake Herald-Republican | 1882-04-13 | Page 2 | Fifty-Second Annual Conference

FWTYsECO iT ANNUAL I OKFEEENOB V ijif B i ft jB r The fiftyseconii annual conference confer-ence was commenced in the Tabernacle Taber-nacle at 10 oclockon Thursday morjiing April 6th 1SS2 by President Presi-dent Taylor giving outr V I the hymn on page 142 Sing to the great Jebovaha praise All praise to him belongs Who kindly lengthens out our days Demands our choicest Eon sPrayer s-Prayer by Apostle D Richards Hymn on page 265 The great and glorious gospel light Bus ushered forth unto my sight Which in my eoul I have received From bondage and from death achieved There were present on the stand of the First Presidency olIn Taylor Tay-lor and Joseph F Smith Of the Quorum of the Twelve L Snow F D Richards J II smith F M Lyman Erastus Snow Wilford Woodruff B Young and M Thatcher The first seven presidents of the Seventies Presidents of stakes of the ugh Priests Quorum PRESIDENT TAYLOR said We are now commencing the fittysecond annual conference which has bten held by the Church of Jesus Clmst of Latterday Saints Since the commencment of this work the church has had to pass through a I great vicissitude of changes We have had revealed unto us the everlasting ever-lasting gospel as it has existed in the various ages of the world and no matter how we have been situated sit-uated the same spirit power light and revelation have been with Israel We have been deprived of our rights and have been robbed and pillaged and plundered time and time again but we have always felt and still feel to put our trust in the living God and the principles revealed vealed for the exaltation of the human family A message of life and salvation has been revealed by God through his servant Joseph and the keys of the holy priesthood have been conferred through Joseph upon many men and they have gone forth to the nations of the earth telling of the unspeakable riches of the king dom of God It is a message of > ea eon e-on eanh and good will toward man We have gone forth without purse or scrip and the Lord has so abundantly blessed us that we have gathered thousands and tens of thousands from the nations and we I expect still to do it without any fear without any trembling asking no odds of any man only being careful to put our trust in the word of him who made the earth and those who people it The antagonism antago-nism and opposition we have had to meet has always existed for warfare war-fare always existed against God and his principles Everything is right I and will come out right My feelings feel-ings are peaceful to the world and to this people I would say be calm be peaceful I feel like shouting Hallelujah the Lord God omnipotent omnipo-tent retoneth and will take care of his saints APOSTLE JOHN HENRY SMITH said he had been in the eastern states for a little season and it would be impossible to explain the feelings and sentiments that exist there against this people Our I friends are not numerous and are I not willing to exercise themselves I very much to aid us or protect us and we are in a position that we must rely upon the Lord for help and succor In the acceptance of the gospel when he was a child so far as he was concerned and so far as he could understand the speaker said he determined to devote his life and ability to tliP T rinf > inlpc nf fhnt V gospel rhere are many people in the east who arc in a quiet way seeking knowledge of the principles of our church and who believe that this is a time when the elements or truth and righteousness I righteous-ness can be disseminated freely and fully among the children of men anti it is for us to labor in that work to continue to preach by our word and actions that the Lord had commenced com-menced a work upon the earth I leave others to crowd us leave them to do the wrong and do the evil while we feel safe in our reliance on the power of Him who is our God Zion will continue to grow We may be tried and sifted and tested but the standard of Zion has been unfurled to the breeze and the great destiny of the work which God has designed will be brought to pass Let us bless the human family preach righteousness scatter goodwill good-will broadcast and be saints in very deed APOSTLE F M LYMAN said the peculiarities of this people and this work are being brought to the no tice of the world and more universal univer-sal attention to the handful of people peo-ple in this territory is being brought than ever before it is not the work of man and the Lord has assured us that it will not be broken down nor given to another peoplebut will stand for ever The history of Gods people in all ages foreshadows to us what we may expect The man who would undertake to build up the kingdom of God upon the earth would have to face a sea of opposition opposi-tion for there is in the heart ot man a love of evil and the base things of nature Even in our midst in our own hearts it is a constant labor to overcome the evil ever present with us and how many ot those who have obeyed the gospel have overcome over-come their passions the gravitation to wickedness the nroneness to wrong doing An if this element of ddikuoss is yievtleiit among those whose minds have been lighted by the truth is it not natural na-tural to suppose that others are also influenced by this power and often r overcome by it The gospel presented I pre-sented itselt to us as something ra tional and reasonable more so than tire uoetrines ofi Christian tv Re nfancef e pentancaT of sin is a ancjple 1 works reformation aifnf e that rf man t baptism brings bout a slbn 9f sins when connected SO faith The spirit conferred with J m I by the laying on of hands has upon borne us testimony us of the mind JuS will of the Lord concerning arrJ walk and life on this sphere and our told us of the power of the priest hood conferred upon man This spirit has enabled us to gather has bound us together in unity ot mind and purpose and had we been less selfish and more devoted to the requirements re-quirements of the Lord we would have been even more united and = had more of this testimony and power There is a proper amount of time and attention to be given to the development of the earth and become acquainted with what there is in it and there is also a requirement that we should V spin Knowledge of God and his works of the plan of salvation of the principles that develop the V elements of our moral and spiritual man God has enriched and blessed us more than man could anticipate in such a laud as this was thirty years ago If there come trying times now we also know that we have had trying times before In the days of the prophetjJoseph there were trying times in the days of Jesus the saints were tried and the Lord himself was persecuted eeii to the death as also his apostlesV Opposition to the purposes of God has been upon the earth ever since the days ofAdam and it is natural V to suppose that it always will exist Can we endure it We have endured en-dured it and can do so with the knowledge that we are the servants of God and we will be supported and sustained It is not possible that we can sustain ourselves by our own strength or thQ power the sword that is not our purpose or our mission The mission ot the kingdom is peace on earth this is the keyword among Israel Remember Re-member this that it is not by violence vio-lence that Gods purposes will be established Let us feel calm anJ serene and collected in our spirits for we have the majority God being on our side and being our leader and friend and hd will watch over us to help us If some may be persecuted let us remember that other good men have been persecuted perse-cuted before us for righteousness sake but if wrong has been done by any let them repent and stand pure before our king and our leaders BISHOP JOHN SHARP was pleased to have the opportunity of meeting with the saints in conference nf could look back upon the records of this people with entire satisfaction and has no anxiety or trouble as to what designing men may endeavor to bring upon us He did not expect ex-pect that the people would have it all their own way and do just as they pleas all the time but if we live by the principles that have been revealed the protection of our Father will be around us and about us and the purposes of the Almighty Al-mighty will be accomplished It is for ut to live our religion in our every daylife and leave the result of mans designs to him who dispos eth of events as seemeth best to accomplish ac-complish his purposes BISHOP W W CLUFF rejoiced in the gospel and the work we are engaged en-gaged inin establishing the work of truth and righteousness upon the earth We have tribulations of course and expect them in our walk and life but we have the satisfaction of knowing that all will be well and come out right The foimerday saints had to pass through persecution Jesus said if we preached righteousness we would be persecuted and the world always has despised those who were on the side of the Lord We can look back at the time when we received re-ceived the gospel and obeyed its ordinances or-dinances and it was a happy a glorious time and ever have rejoiced and been comforted ever since while we were walking in the path of duty The prejudice that exists in the world has been brought about by igncrance of us and our institutions in-stitutions The government of the United States has no better defenders I defend-ers and admirers than the Latter day Saints and the oressur brought against this people has been the result re-sult of ignorance among the masses We have no fear no trepidation other communities might be shaken very much by the same circumstances circum-stances as surround us but we are peaceful attending to our duties sending our elders to the nations ot the earth building up the kingdom of God on the earth and keeping his commandments BISHOP ABRAM HATCH realized to some extent the magnitude of the work in which we are engaged and he often reflected upon the labors of the people in the early days of the church and the labor of the elders in opening up the various missions in the world The labor was great and it was the more so when the small numbers of the members of the church was taken into consideration consider-ation and in connection with this vast labor the saints also had to endure en-dure persecution We have prospective pro-spective persecution The government govern-ment of the United States is trying to restrict our rights and our hoer ties though our political liberties ire not very extensive but we have only to keep on is our way of serving serv-ing the Lord The speaker said he was a grandson of a revolutionary soldier and himself and his brotl ers and his parent hive tasted tlc dregs of poverty in living anong tiC people of a free country In other states or territories than Utah and he had suffered from the privations and drivings of the saints and felt he could do so again if it was necessary neces-sary He sensed the weight of the legislation against this people but still felt serene and peaceful m the work of promulgating punciplcs that are for the exaltation ot the human family I I 1s The choir sang the anthem AnIs s An-Is from the realms of glory g Benediction by Apostle Wilford t 1fdruff t Adjourned untll2 p m > I 2pm i The choir sang the hymn 011 page 117All praise to our redeeming Lord Who join us by ks grace > And bids us each to each restored Together seek Ms face t Hymn on page 10 praise to God immortal prUe Tor tin love that crowns cur dayfj gounteous source of every ioy Let thy prai = e our tongues employ APOSTLE BInGHAM YOUNG ap i predated the privilege of meeting with the saints in conference haying hay-ing been absent from the territory for several months Had been excited ex-cited a little a very little and his feelings had been wrought upon by the course of some persons who ought to foster and cherish those who develop the resources of this I arid country The people who are using their best endeavors endeav-ors to bring the poor from other countries and elevate them should be encouraged and it is strange that the settlers in this mountain region who have done more to open the California country than the whole of the other settlers in the United States in an early day who made possible a railroad through the continent should not receive different treatment to that which they are receiving now It is due to the Mormons to say that they have done a great deal to open the great western country and it is not saying too much when it is stated that the opening of the mines and the building of the fine houses in this Territory would not have been possible anyhow would not have had a good foundation if the Mormons had not staid here to make Utah what it is The capitalists capital-ists who come here want to claim the honor of building up our country coun-try but he never saw the capitalist who spent a dollar here that did not get a dollar back and some of them got a great many dollars back Now where is one of these men who have made thousands of dollars here who has raised his hand or voice to defend de-fend us We have one good trustworthy trust-worthy friend in the world Col Kane he has been our friend in Iowa and in 1857 and is our friend now but our fiiends are few and far between I do not feel scared at prospective trouble I want to have the courage and judgment my father had and many other good men have had and stand firm in advocating ad-vocating and defending the principles princi-ples of the gospel I am convinced that the proper way for us to travel is straight along over gulches mountains moun-tains or anything in our oath to reach the goal of purity of righteousness right-eousness and of truth and not have timorous feelings The prophet Joseph Jo-seph Smith doubtless knew that I men were hid to waylay and rob him of the plates but be did not gd back or dodge the issue and we should all feel that way I am no altogether belligerent am not advocating advo-cating warlike measures but I do want to advocate our standing true and steadfast all the timethe whole time If I am to be prosecuted prose-cuted for living my religion why I am to be prosecuted thats all and dodging tue issue will not change it I have read the bill passed to injure us but am satisfied that everything will come out all right and the designs of our enemies be frustrated and confusion will come upon them It may be that if this outside pressure is for a good purpose pur-pose to bind the people together to stop dissension and strife that might possibly grow up in our midst We feel the necessity of standing shoulder to shoulder in a solid phalanx to meet the enemy in his inroads in-roads uixm us ELDER Jonx NUTTALL read the statistical report for the halfyear t r I ending March 1882 J Baptized Births Total number = o = 05 i members in 5 2 i eluding chlldru 32 o Sunder S-under S far A j 5 = 5 age S3 o g Bear Lake 4071 7 78 63 47 Beaver 1719 8 3 6 17 Box Elder 5910 11 34 71 59 Cache 15767 99171 199 163 Davis 5376 7 20 44 51 Emery 992 10 25 18 Juab 2510 2 20 34 22 Kanab 1554 22 1 19 17 Millard 2871 5 21 38 40 Morgan 1545 5 5 Panguitch 1544 6 26 20 Parowan 2067 2 12 16 20 Salt Lake 21749 97220 lOlL 190 Sanpete 11000 27 78 119 105 Sevier 4240 8 54 43 55 St George 4760 3 10 45 61 Summit 3011 1 10 26 22 I Tooele 2 906 4 16 24 Utah 15734 29 82 155 122 Waeatcb 2742 17 S9 36 26 i Weber 8731 16 50 72 58 Little Col 392 1 5 y 9 Totais1211913629731260fl79 r He also read the following statistical statis-tical and financial report of the lie lief Societies Total number of officers offi-cers and members 15339 cash on hand at last report e 34745 prop erty 8402818 19709 bushels of wheat cash received 457371 property 8463354 wheat 4990 bushel DisbursementsTo the poor cash 5192453 property 316642 Emigration Emi-gration 822498 Temple cash 110027 property 122210 Home Industriescash 28710 property S930ll Books 10950 Missionaries Mission-aries 243 62 Buildings cash 12719 property S64670 Indians S2 ± S3 On hand cash 8477097 other property 531 845 wheat 26072 bushels APOsTLE WILFORD WOODRUFF asked the Question whether it is proper to say what the spirit dictates dic-tates or what would nlease the cmwrenof men His own feelings were that it is the kingdom of God or nothing and he desired nothing outside of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints for no kingdoms thrones principalities salvation or exaltation can be received re-ceived outside the kingdom of God Man may own some of these possessions posses-sions for a few days but at a given time they are all buried in one common com-mon grave Every prophet and apostle that has lived upon the earth has prophecied of this great day and dispensation I have lived in this church nearly fifty years and have watched its organization organiza-tion and growth from nearly the first and have known from the first and know todaythat Joseph Smith was raised up and sustained by the Lord to do the work of opening up this dispensation dispensa-tion Everyone who expects to obtain ob-tain part parcel in this kingdom without trials will be greatly mistaken mis-taken The growth of this church has been very similar to the parable of the mustard seed in every one of its stages The speaker desired to impress one thing upon his hearers viz if this was not the church and kingdom of God the world would not hate you the world loved its own but if the people love righteousness right-eousness the world will hate them Jesus and his disciples were not popular among the Jews they thought he had come to take their place and nation The speaker could remember for some sixtyseven years and looking back on the his wry of that time he could see a great change in the feeling of the people concerning religious matters In his younger days he sat for hours hearing the Presbyterian ministers picture the torments of bell where the flames rose higher and higher and higher with a fervor fer-vor that would scare a great many from committing sin but the great ministers have knocked the bottom out of hell and it will hold nobody low Some of these ministers and others who are fighting against this work will find there is a hell and that it will hold them The learned men of today also say they believe there is no God Congressmen lawmakers statesmen and others I laugh at you when you describe the hand of God in the events of the day The Latterday Saints believe in a God know there is a God and intend to follow the instructions ie vealed through his servants A congressman said to one of my Brethren lately If that bill passes God have mercy on you Mormons I I say if the men in power will persecute us God have mercy on them and their families Shall we fear and tremble because the world oppose us 1 say no and 1 SlY yea and amen to the valiant men who express the sentiment that we cannot can-not yield one principle I have no commandment to yield no steps to retrace no principle to forswear to please any man or men and do not vi eve that God will ever ask any c f is to do so for the church must e kept intact and those who cannot tel the conviction that I do will do so before ten years are past We have a future a high destiny and that God who has raised up a kingdom king-dom on the earth is not asleep He may allow trials to test his people but we must not sell our gospel or any of its principles and if any are weakkneed they are not wanted in this church I have seen the banks of the Mississippi lined with I thousands of men women and children in the mud and in the rain driven there by a governor but it will all come out right I have never broken any law of the land that I know of that has been constitutional The principles prin-ciples of the constitution were given to our forefathers by inspiration but their grandsires aie discarding it and rending it and if this course is not stopped the whole of the props of liberty will be lost I want to say to OUt enemies ene-mies or friends that it costs a great deal to shed the blood of Gods people peo-ple the Jews crucified Jesus and since then thousands and perhaps millions of Jews have leen crucified cruci-fied or died unnatural deaths There were two men killed in Carthage jail and the country has had to pay a big price in blood for that murder and the bill is not all paid yet A number of Congressmen expressly stated in the legislative halls at Washington that they could not vote for the bill which has been passed recently because it was so glaringly unconstitutional and all the Congressmen know it is unconstitutional uncon-stitutional This warfare is not between be-tween Congress and the handful of people in these mountains it is a warfare between God and man and God will fight our battles We haH a courtto appeal above the court of this land and the whole of the hundred thousand saints should seek their private chambers and petition that court and its judge for justice Hymn on page 260 How flrm a foundation ye Saints of the Lord Benediction by Apostle Lorenzo Sro w SECOND DAY October 7 10 am Meeting called to order by President Presi-dent Taylor The choir sang the hymn on page 209 Come 0 thou king of kings Weve waited long for thee With healirg in thy wings To set thy people free Prayer by Bishop D H Cannon I Hymn on page 266 Come listen to a prophets voice And bear the word of God And in the way of truth rejoice I And sing for joy aloud I APOSTLE LORENZO SNOW load a i few verses of the 14th chapter of Exodus There is a great lesson i contained in these verses and it is applicable to the Latterday Saints J and to all other people The child ii ren of Israel had not had the oppor1 tunities of being so well acquainted with the mind and will of the Lord as have the Latterday Saints sc when the Israelites saw the Red Sea before them and the Egyptiajij behind them they were afraid Ibis Ib-is notimposaible that the saints in this day may be placed in a similar situation some circumstances of comparison are contained in the I history of this people and further and similar ones may come to this people The children of Israel through their lack of knowledge blamed Moses for taking tak-ing them from their flesh pots in Egypt and he murmured also to the Lord If the people could seethe see-the purposes of God they would always be content and not murmer When thp nrmv came against us in Missouri and it seemed that unless help came from a supreme power there may have been a very few who trembled But the saints had faith in the promises of God and did not display dis-play the folly of former days Israel and hanker again after the tlesh pots of of the world but expected ex-pected and obtained the deliverance of their God Of course the saints as well as the prophets in this day like those in former days have had their weaknesses Moses had more faith than knowledge and sometimes some-times erred In the circumstances I I have read the prophet told the Israelites i Is-raelites to fear not but stand still andLsee the salvation of God The I former part of his words was good enough and it is good enough now good enough for every one of our elders and every one of our people but the Lord told Moses to tell the people to move forward and not stand still It was not wisdom for the people of God ever to standstill stand-still but keep moving forward and onward for the purposes of God do not stand still The children of Israel Is-rael never weuld have crossed the Red Sea if they had stood still The saints have trials of course and the victory over these trials is accomplished by overcoming them In the days of Jesus when he was crucified the natural views of men led them to believe that the work was over and some of the disciples even returned to their fishing but though these agents of the Lord upon the earth were morbid and quiet the work did not stand still one of the grandest parts of Christs mission was being accomplished the doors of the spirit prison house were being opened the servants of God on the earth and in the spirit world could work tocrether and bring about the designs and purposes pur-poses of the work which was to reach every son and daughter daugh-ter of Adam and there was no standing still for it When the saints were persecuted pillaged and driven in Kirtland in Jacks onCounty in Par Westand in Missouri the work did not standstill stand-still but was moving on all the time This should bs our motto Pear not keep moving on keep preaching to the nations the principles princi-ples of the gospel keep gathering in the honest in heart keep building build-ing meeting houses keep opening up enterprises and developing the resources of the territory anything that is just and commendable in tha eyes of good men The speaker brought to the minds of his hearers the illustration of Shadrack Me shack and Abednego being thrust into the fiery furnace who were delivered de-livered without even a hair of their heads being burned of Daniel being be-ing thrown into the lions den because be-cause he would not bow to a human or false God and who was delivered unhurt and unharmed An illustration of the outcome of the present position was given in the history of this people in Illinois Illi-nois One of the generals of the ma litia that was sent against us in Missouri made the remark that if one of that poor people should accidentally acci-dentally shoot down one of the mob the whole state would swoop down there upon the Mormons and destroy de-stroy them entirely We were despised de-spised and driven and then lo eated in Nauvoo and the legislators were influenced to give us charter rights and they gave the prophet Joseph more privileges and rights in a military capacity than had been given to any other man in the same position When we were driven from Nauvoo and crossed the desert plains and settled in these mountains Congress gave us an organic or-ganic act for the territory made a Mormon elder governor of the territory ter-ritory made a Mormon elder secretary secre-tary of state and a Mormon elder was appointed one of the judges of the supreme court of the territory Now about the Edmunds bill I shall not talk much about it for I do ur profess to understand u v r well and congressmen do not understand under-stand it nooody seems to understand under-stand it But about plural marriage 1 do understand sometning JL Knew Joseph Smith well for twelve sr fousteen years and he told me personally per-sonally that God had revealed to him the doctrine of plural marriage and I believed it I knew Joseph Smith to be a man of truth could give many evidences of it but did not depend on Josephs veracity for the truthfulness of this doctrine I received a testimony for myself if you please the heavens opened and the knowledge of God let up my understanding on this as on other principles of the gospel In this Edmunds bill there is something goodit legalizes every issue from plural marriages up to January 1 1SS3 which rnarriagrs had been performed i per-formed by the ceremonies of the Moimon sect but if any gentleman has been guilty of bigamy or polygamy polyg-amy outside of the ceremonies of the Mormon sect his issue ib not legitimate Xo person a few yeais I ago could have ever expectedsuch an act of Congress but it has pissed and been signed by the President I do not have any fear or trouble about fiery ordeals but if any do I oome We all should be ready for them Keep moving on and accomplishing the purposes of Jehovah ELDER L JOHN NUTTALL then read the financial report the Sal Lake Temple which showed since Jast report 86089115 had been received re-ceived in that district Logan Tern pie district 74248672 had been received re-ceived In Manti Temple district r34471450 had been received The Deseret Sunday School Union report showed that there were 39754 Officers and members 3641 classes and 305 Sunday schools an increase of 1947 officers and members and 21 SChools since last report There was on hand at last report 8141598 there Had been collected 8732455 disbursed v dis-bursed 674003 in the treasury 2004h The reports of the Young Ladies Mutual Improvement Associations from fifteen stakes showed a membership mem-bership of 4544 the receipts were 165975 ten stakes had not reported re-ported S S The reports of the Primary Asso ciatiocs from fifteen stakes showed a membership of 22347 receipts 83505 ten stakes had not reported Elder Nuttall then read the following fol-lowing list of missionaries whq were unanimously sustained by the vote of the conference Names of elders who have been I I called on missions since the October conference 1881 and now in their fields of labor S GREAT BRITAIN Thomas Allsop Union UNITED STATES P Green Taylor Harrisville Wm G Brough Morgan SOUTHERN STATES John J Dunn Brigham City John Haven Barlow East Bountiful Bounti-ful S John Morgan fourteenth Ward NEW ZEALAND Wm Burnett Hooper ARIZONA Alma H Bennett Mount Pleasant To go as soon as convenient after this conference GREAT BRITAIN John Charles Reader Wellsville Joseph A West Ogden Edward Spencer Randolph Wm G Reese Benson Thomas W Horsley Paris Isaac Green Wellsville David Burnett Oneida Henry Manning Hooper Joseoh Alma Smith Coalville Willard F Smith Coalrille David Lewis East Bountiful John Penman East Bountiful James Meikle Smithfield Ephraim H Nye Ogden Joseph Wild American Fork John Crawford Ogden George Croft Fillmore James H Kinnersly Seventeenth WardSCANDINAVIA SCANDINAVIA Lars Swenson Moroni Soren Madsen Milton Christian Poulsen Richfield J B Hesse Monroe John Andei son Fillmore SWITZERLAND John Hafen Santa Clara UNITED STATES John A Sutton Paris Gilbert R Belnap Jr Hooperville Wm H Wright Ogden Siels Rasmussen Parowan i B P Wolfenstien St George Reuben Farnsworth Richfield H M Payne Glenwood A W Buchanan Glenwood SOUTHERN STATES Charles F Martineau Logan athaniel W Haws Logan feseph S Hunter Cedar City Edwin R Miles Smithfield Walter George Paul Mendon Milson R Pratt Nineteenth Ward NEW ZEALAND Uma Greenwood Fillmore Ira N Hiuckley Fillmore MALAD INDIAN FARM James Chandler Willard as schoolteacher school-teacher PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR said when we make motions of this kind we should mean to carry them out and in the instances of voting to sustain the missionaries we should do it not only in our faith and prayers but by helping the familIes of these missionaries making mak-ing them comfortable and happy and scattering smiles around their homes Some folks are very religious reli-gious and will centre the whole of their actions in their prayers but I tell you that a little beef and pork and flour is necessary to be added to the prayers or they are not of much good to the poor and the needy I ave been a missionary myself several times and know all about the feelings of men while on mis bio is = In relation to tho storm now I hanging over us all we nave to uo is just the same as we bad to do this morning when out in the snowstorm snow-storm just round up our shoulders turn up our CoaL collars and let the wind blow aud the storm exhaust itself and when the howling surrounds sur-rounds us who the devil cares After the storm subsides the sun shines and everything is pleasant and joylul lu Far West we had a rough experience and a few had some little fears and creepy feelings but we lived through ic and the kingdom survived and grew We were loyal to the government under all our persecutions and there is no other place in the United States where the people are as loyal and revere the Constitution as right here in this territory fte are trying to do good and keep on doing right and be tatriotic and sustain the Constitution and the country We sometimes do too much good I think when taking into consideration the circumstances circum-stances that surround us We have had come in our midst some professedly profes-sedly very pious people but they F J f 44 encourage whoredom they encourage encour-age the social evil they fight against sobriety and make it very difficult for the city councils to keep down the liquor business yet they say we are loathsome These pious people claim to be virtuous people and truthful people Now I would not pollute the stores of these people peo-ple with my presence I might injure in-jure their goods and I would say that we had better keep among our own people and trade among ourselves our-selves There are persons who send carriages and wagons here and we pay for them thousands and thousands thou-sands of dollar yet these persons cannot raise a finger in our behalf I wouldnt ride in their carriages We have lots of fair weather friends but they are not of much use still there are some outspoken friends I was pleased with the senators and representatives in the late discussion of the Ed munds bill who were possessed of manhood enough to stand by their oaths and say they could not sanction sanc-tion such a measure there is a little salt in the United States yet and though they may want to cast us off we will not cast them off Many are jealous of our organization and think we have a different organization organiza-tion to anybody else so we have but we did not get it from the United States nor from England nor from any man but from God and it is good and true I feel like saying again as I said yesterday yes-terday Hallelujah I the Lord God omnipotent reigneth and will continue con-tinue to reign until he has put hi enemies under his feet So we can do right and a part of that right is to keep from polluting these traders here In the meantime we will keep cur coat collars up and wait until the storm passes over Some of our kind friends have suggested sug-gested that we cast our wives off but our feelings are different ti that We are bound to them for time and eternity we have covenanted before high heaven to do it and J feel like saying in the name of Israels God we will keep them and let all say Amen A loud and hearty Amen was given by the congregation con-gregation We may have to nestle behind a hedge while the storm is passing over but let us be true to ourselves to our wives our families and our God and all will be well Choir sang Daughter of Zion Benediction by Apostle Erastus Snow Adjourned until 2 pm S 2 pm The choir sang the hymn on pageD page-D Th time is nigh that happy time That great expected bleed diy When countless thoustnas of our rAce Shall dwell with Chrial t and iiim obey Prayer by Apostle F M Lyman Hymn on page 302 When earth in bandage long bud lain And darkness oer the na ions reigneu And all mans precepts proved in vain A perfect system to obtain APOSTLE ERASTUS SNOW had taken satisfaction in traveling and speaking with the people in the southern counties for the past few weeks There is a great interest in the minds of the people in the progress pro-gress of the work of the Lord especially espe-cially at the present time and a determination de-termination to press forward in the path of duty God has set his hand to lay the foundation of the work that is to accomplish the covenants made unto Abraham Isaac and Jacob and Joseph In the early days of the church the prophet Joseph and his fellow laborers were tried in many and varied ways but God thwarted the purposes of their enemies and established the church of God upon the earth though he I allowed the blood of the prophet to be shed and thus make a testimony for the whole world Many present 1 in this congregation were witnesses and sufferers to and in this early work and they ought to impiess this fact upon their children There are many forms of dead religions in the world but the faith of the Latter Lat-ter daySaints is a live growing faith bringing forth fruits meet for repentance though all professional members of this church are not as fruitful and thrifty as they should be Blessed are they who break up the fallow ground of their hearts and prepared it that the seed where sown theirm may take root and bring forth fruit thirty sixty or a hundred fold We cannot separate true religien from true practices it teaches us to help one another to bear each others burdens to visit the orphan and comfort the fatherless It is a fine thing in the estimation of the Chris tian Avorld to talk about Jesus and his teachings but when it comes to practicing his precepts that is another thing Some prominent persons in the east in their synods and their lecture halls have tatu that polygamy was the war cry I but the matter to be dreaded lo be fought against was the unity of the peoplethe priestly influence Parsons Newman aid bchuyier Col tax have been noticeable examples ex-amples of this statement Now supposing sup-posing the Methodists the Presby terians and other denominations had carried out the command of Jesus 11 r ye are not one je are not mine what would be their condition dition Very different to what its it-s now The denominations are divided viz the Methodist Church of the north and the Methodist Church of the south so with the Presbyterian Church and the Baptist Bap-tist Church this division of churches was one o the causes of the war and these churches in their political pLitrorrn inserted what is known as the twin relic plank At the time of the war the chaplains of the regiment ot the army in the north and the south were praying toO their God for success against the arms of those brethern of theirs praying to the S S S fl supposed Same God for success I suc-cess against the other side How different to the Christ an unity of the gospel required by Christ of his disciples This unity is the head and front of our offending The statesmen of the day admit that there is more depravity and corruption corrup-tion in one single city of the Union in one year than there has been in Utah ever since the territory has I assisted Sin I been organized In 1S47 in planting the American standard I on this Temple Block and there are i others present who assisted there S J also at that time the country to the east and west of us was in the possession t t S session of the Mexican government g The Mormons planted the stars and i P stripes here and the Mormons S planted it west of here and east of S here and held this country until the i S country was ceded to the American S government in 1848 The first colony i col-ony of people on the Pacific Coast t t f was a Mormon colony who took a ii printing press and published the P t first free press called the American S s Star and the first shining gold was t displayed by members of the Mormon i Mor-mon Battalion The Mormons also i established the first free press in S these mountain fastnesses The provisional l pro-visional state of Deseret and the provisional state of California applied f ap-plied at the doors of Congress at the i same time on equal footing butther 1 first was rejected and the other accepted S ac-cepted We asked for bread ancfc S they gave us a stone We were i given true an organic act burdened with the absolute veto of a federal governor sent here to rule over us and with anther veto of Congress S on our legislation and this governor sent here to nullify legislation of the S S representatives of the people may be S a total stranger and perhaps not a S taxpayer even But we have prospered pros-pered we have grown have become a j4 powerful people Ure have renewed S our application for admission but i have been refused yet we have 4 prospered We have built our schoolhouses and educated our children S chil-dren without any aid from the parent par-ent govern intuit and though oar S proportion of children is larger than that of any o her state or territory we have given them a primary education 4L edu-cation at left without any help b1 yet we have prospered We have 1 opened up farms over an area 500 S miles in length oiilt mills opened roads established industries and become S be-come thriving and happy Now S with this record can any one consistently consist-ently call us ii corrupt licentious 5 debauched and vicious people We jjj4 invite statesmen to visit our Sabbath S If Sab-bath schools our improvement associations fi as-sociations and our institutions of l r learning instead of bing penned up S J tf in some corrals and there being f stuffed with lies by unprincipled S I i men who have sold themselves to S i the devil We say come and investigate inves-tigate this dreaded oneman power h so much talked ofasexi ting among S a I this people They can find nothing i S k Iso I-so bad as the onem power of a 1 I governor who e > iid tiat a man re jeiving 1300 vote > was elected over L the choice of the jxuple who received re-ceived 18000 vote nil gave th S certificate to thIs mice of him S 5 You have also had an illustration in 1 of the power hl Congivs in the consideration con-sideration ot the Edmunds billit S f 1 was a process of p rtv lash gag law ih S and the overriding of freedom In S thc gospel is perfect freedom and 1 Son S-on this principle are all the princi lit pIes of the government founded Ja the 4th of July 17TH the document 1 1 docu-ment was signed that was the embodiment I em-bodiment of the principles of t political freedom and that is what we love and cherish Never did the ancient Israelites enjoy en-JOY more freedom than under thet reign of the judges and they prevailed S pre-vailed over their enemies for over J 430 years the Book Mormon is S full of instances iu this direction and the merican nation has grown remarkably while freedom existed among the people Xow history in repeating itself tells us as soon as 5 the people crave for a king or centralize S tralize the power of government in some others who are not tru1i 1 elected by the voice of the people then anarchy oppression heavy taxes war bloodshed and bondage result from it In the book of Doe 4 trine and Covenants we are em manded to uphold and sustain the S 5 Constitution of the United States and foster liberty and freedom ancU we will do it though unprincipled demagogues and politicians depart from the principles of the Constitu S thou They commence at Utah but it will not end here The war oil i 5 the rebellion might have beeo > > voided if the suggestion of the Prophet Joseph had been heeded i the slaves could have been freed at j onetithe the cash cost of the war t i without the shedding of blood and t r f without a fratricidal war Since 4 1 that time the people have degene r t r rated their congresses have degene I S rated and at last the Supreme Court l j las been tampered with and stuffed i with political partisans and in Inure J f In-ure ages historians will point to ij ta some of thtir decisions as stepping JJ stones to the destruction of the t L nation Now we have an Edmundsr bill which proposes to send a commission 5 < j com-mission to say who shall be citizens l rl I and who shall not be citizens how j f S taxes shall be paid and how much c 13 who shall be the choice of the ttj people and who shall not But f since that hJ was forced through Congress Present Arthur and the 5 f statesmen have had time to think or f1 to take a second thought and possibly > J S possi-bly see that the working of the bill 1 f is not so easy and smooth as they ji J 1 thought If our neighbors can stand S i this bill we can if the bankers and S the miners can stand the doubling ffr t up of their taxes we can because r i we are used to it if they can coo S r line themselves to one woman we Scan S-can I have often seen in my i traveling through the mountains that the road has apparently been stopped up by an insurmountable 1i mountain and when I oame to the S i S place where I mUst g through I have found a road has opened upright 4 up-right along and so it has been with the history of this people 1 would like to see the people taking hold of I the matter of sustaining ourselves im a business like manner Do our I trading among ourselves and when there is a necessity to buy wagons h or imported stuff let it be done Ut through a board of our brethren and ni not patronize these middle men who t are not of us and will not help us PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR remarked re-marked that lIe had said that the 1 best way to act in a storm was tot to-t turn up the coat collar and be prepared pre-pared for it There will be a storm 1 in the United States soon and it may reach here and 1 want the cI Brethren to be ready for it Get i out of debt that when troublous 1 times come you may be undisturbed p I said the same at the last conference 1 confer-ence and I say it again The wise will understand The choir sang an anthem I will lift up mine eyes S j Benediction by Apostle F D S Richards Conference adjourned until 10 am i SaturdayS Saturday-S THIRD DAY rI Saturday April 810 a m S ti President Taylor called the meeting I meet-ing to order The choir sang the i S hymn on page 7 p 4 Glorious things of thee are spoken S Zion city of our God 7 S He whose word can not be broken 1 Chose theo for biB own abode S d Prayer byD H Wells Hymn on S page 374 Though deepning trials throng your way 5 S 5 Press on press on ye saints of God S Ere long the resurrection dayS day-S Will spread its light and truth a broadS broad-S APOSTLE F D RICHARDS said that on oscasions of meeting together 55 1 to-gether as in conference the speakers S speak-ers need the assistance of the Holy I Ghost to prompt what to say to accomplish S S I ac-complish the good desired I am S j i i reminded of some of the choice i promises made specially unto the TS j saints in the last days one is that 1 I the Lord goes before his people himself I him-self to accomplish his purposes and 4 1 does not even trust it to angels The parable in the Book of Mormon S S Mor-mon said the Lord sent nis servants S to prune his vineyard for the last Si time and we should not allow ourselves to forget that the work i entrusted to us is a consolidation of I all the works before commenced S t and which will be consummated in i this the fulness of the dispensation S Lj of times The Lord has also said I that it was his duty to provide for Ii his people He has also said that we 1 are not called upon to take up carnal E car-nal weapons of war but that he willS will-S fight our battles for us These promises prom-ises assure us that the work is not to be let out to others but the Lord I will see to it himself Seeing that we have clouds of witnesses of help i I l and cooperation what manner of L men should we be Let us look at some of the outstanding evidences I that our Father attending to the f i work himself In former times in r l H the days of Abraham Lehi and i 1 1 U Nephi for instance mortal combat 1 H i i was allowed to overcome the powers 5 f t 4 pow-ers of Paganism and the enemies i T r ene-mies of God but in this our day I I It is not for us to use the i I 1 carnal weapons of war We can remember S II I re-member how the Lord kept us out r i S of the late fratricidal war we came I I none too soon acrose the desert and 5 S 11 away from the scene of carnage i1 1 where father was fighting his son j i SSt I I I and a brother his brother and we 1 I I 1 have a continuous satisfaction that t we are entirely removed from those L i I J scenes where we would have been S I S compelled to help on one side or the S I 1 other The ancient prophets saw F i 14 the day when the servants of God III should speak comforting words tot S to-t i Zion and say thy God reigneth S t and will accomplish his purposes f I 4 though it may be in contravention 1 ii > h I of mens designs Once upon < a time 11 enemies in our midst forbid us the t Jf right to keep and bear arms and i then turned round and accused us i S of disloyalty for not celebrating our J j national holidays and since that injustice J j 1 in-justice was heaped upon us strange S i i1 to say the only occasion or necessity J 1 f for using weapons that is in regard I 4 i to the Lamanites all around have h I become universally peaceful andS and-S i friendly and we have had no use for J t our arms This is another evidence f l of God working for us We should think of these evidences and not go S again to our cups not be friendly and affiliate with the ungodly not be p S civilized with he damnable civilization civili-zation but remember the works and evidences of God and keep our covenants il it cov-enants pure and fresh in our memory t ii mem-ory I will refer again to the time that it was told us that there were t1 S a million of bayonets to come out I against us We know that a detachment t 0 S de-tachment started out against us t j I with their mouths full of venom t and hatred toward us but before i they arrived if they were not converted S con-verted their ardor was very much S i cooled when they reached this city i they presented more the aspect of a Fourth of July celebration marching S J march-ing through the streets than an invad irj i my which started outS out-S jj I to destroy is I want to see honesty il of purpose out iiicipleamongusin 1 I our intercourse one with the other i t I An honest Presbyterian an honest S iZ j Methodist an honest black republican S ji I t i republi-can or an honest democrat can be i relecl on because you know his J 1 I principle and he is to be depended I on The principles of thejConsti tu S S tion were obtaintd by our ratneis I F 4 and grandfathers and a standard 4 I was rais d which has commanded + lespeet from ah pulls of the globeS globe-S S Lft Every man elected or appointed to office from the President down to a i s justice of the i eace has taken an c oath that he will support the coasti I tution Now when Congress sends 11 t fAIt edict to us as an attainder or ex i 1 SS d V S I S S i z S S S S J J post facto law they o violate their I oaths and are overstepping the I bonds of their duty When men in i high places thus forget their oaths they will find a court some day that will convict them of perjury even if they do never find it this side of the grave Webster Clay and the other bright lights of our nation boasted of the freedom of this great and glorious country but they would have hid their heads if they had lived in this day when the guarantee that no law should be made touching religion was so boldly and defiantly overridden by our legislators and the people restrained re-strained their rights and their privileges priv-ileges God has allowed kings to be raised up among his children at various times and evento subvert the power which existed among the people but the Lord also raised up prophets to go with those kings and instruct them In addition to thee the-e al side of the courts I will say there is an equity side which the Latterday Saints cannot avoid noticing It is given in the constitution consti-tution that the state shall make no law impairing the obligation obliga-tion of contracts Now the marriage state is a contract a civil contract and rt sacred contract and with us extends into eternity by an eternal covenant It is hud down by the ablest jurist of our country that the relation of husband and wife should be maintained as the basis of the preservation of society and should be hedged around by the courts more than any vested rights ni chattels and the world will know some day that there is a court that will wield its power to protect us in these rights and the persons attempting to defraud us will understand under-stand the force of an overruling injunction in-junction issued against them There is one thing the government has done that is an excellent thing that uur children born before lb83 I are and shall be legitimatized but there is a peculiar feature connected con-nected with this matter that is while legislators have said our children are and will be legitimate children the mothers of these children are not our legal wives it is peculiar legislation but itmay be a precursor to other subsequent legislation for our good It is good enough as far as it goes We need not be weakkneed or trembling at any prospective trouble The men and women who lived here in 1848 and suffered what was suffered then I cannot be made afraid by any of mans efforts against them or against this church Many of the people in those days walked very near the valley of death and fear and trembling has entirely left them We can stand upon our record re-cord and send our missionaries to the nations of the earth bearing testimony that prophets have been raised up and have sealed their testimony with their blood Many and varied efforts haye been made I to destroy the saints and to destroy polygamy but our enemies have HOD been able to unite upon a plan they differing in their views of the modus operandi to efface the twin relic There is no telling to what extremes the nation will go if the Lord will let them rmies were sent into the south and they spread devastation and death in their efforts to destroy slavery and it is my opinion that the fortytwo representatives who voted against the sending out of a commission to overturn our goverrnent who voted against our being disfranchised without a trial spoke from the experience ex-perience they obtained in the history his-tory of commissioners and returning return-ing boards at their own homes We can feel assured that if we are faithful faith-ful to our covenants and our duties i the Lord has the power and will keep the nations in just the position he wishes them to be in their dealings deal-ings with us Terrible judgments are foretold and will follow our testimony among the nations of the earth ELDER GEORGE TEASDALE felt that we had been greatly encouraged by the review of Gods dealings with man About half a century ago this work was commenced by God and one man The speaker narrated the circumstances of the angel Moroni coming to the Prophet Josdph Smith and telling him where the plates were hid and when Joseph got them he did not dodge but kept right on also in the matter of the 1 translation of the Book of Mormon from the plates and the testimony given by angels that the plates had been translated through that boy then tue restoration of the Aaronic priesthood by John the Baptist for therowas no ono upon the earth holding hold-ing the power to confer on man that priesthood We have the testimony of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery that John the Baptist had come and restored the power of the priesthood to call to repentance and baptism by immersion for the remission of sins Here we have two men and God Then came the revelations to Joseph teaching him iu detail the order and powers of the Melchise dec 1riesthood of the elders the priests the teachers and the deacons dea-cons and giving a promise that every man who went to the world I inviting the honest should have power to guarantee the gift of the Holy Ghost to all who would obey the principles of the gospel We have tasted the efftcts of the gospel gos-pel and we could keep talking of the goodness ot God for a longtime long-time Look at our emigration thousands have come from the ends of the earth and many of them i aued and descrepit who at home could hardly travel across the road f The work is full of evidences ana I we shall continue io get then V have no fear no eason te fear h < have traveled without purse or script to carry the message of God one or two among thousands of strangers and enemies and among those who threatened to mob us and I slay us but we kept moving along r t I and did not fear We are Increasing Increas-ing in righteousness tithes and offerings are being paid temples are being erected the people are seeking seek-ing their endowments and attending attend-ing to the ordinances for their dead There Is not a spot on earth where morning and evening more songs and prayers ascend to the Father of the human family than in these mountains and we should continue to sanctify these valleys We pay our tithes and we need not quibble about what is tithing for the Prophet Jacob said it was tke tenth of all that the Lord gave Mm and we cannot get around it I obtained ob-tained a test from President Woodruff Wood-ruff that I have often thought of that our lives have been hid in Christ Jesus to come forth in this day and generation what a glorious principle President John Taylor hoped that the bishops will look after the brethren and sisters who are in from the settlements without any places to stay There are plenty of us who can take care of them and they must be made comfortable com-fortable Choir sang the anthem How beautiful are the feet of them that bringeth good tidings composed by Jno Tulledge Sr Benediction by Apostle J H Smith S Adjourned until 2 pmS pm-S 2 pm Choir sang the hymn on page 41 Jeiuo from whom all blessing flow Great builder of thy church below If now thy spirit moves my breast Hear and fulfil thine own request Prayer by President A M Cannon Can-non Hymn on page 259 Guide ui 0 thou great Jehovah Saints into the promised land We are weak but thou art able Hold us with thy powerful hand APOSTLE MOSES THATCHER had rejoiced in listening to the remarks of the brethren who had spoken He had never seen a happier day than this for the spirit and power of God is working in the hearts of the people The evidences of our eyes may fail us the hearing of our ears may deceive us the senses of our natures one by one may be misguided mis-guided but he who has the companionship com-panionship of the holy spirit will never err The disciples of Christ had heard the sermon upon the mount they had seen him feed the multitude with the lfew loaves and fishes they had seen him open the eyes of the blind they had seen him raise the dead they had traveled with him and hung upon the words of life as they fell from his lips and had doubtless watched his acts and ways during the whole time of his ministry but they did not have the power to act in the ministry of the gospel until it had been specially confirmed upon them then they could go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature and every one that believed and was baptized could be savedand the signs would follow the believers The elders el-ders do not claim any part of the commission given to the disciples informer in-former days but legions of profess ers do but the signs do not follow them hence their commission is powerless and useless We claim that we are called of God as was Aaron qualified and empowered by revelation to minister in the ordinances of the house of God i The faith of the believers in modern churches is pinned to a belief and though I respect these believers for their sincerity I must differ with them in all sincerity and respect and tell them their belief is a dead letter to them i respect sincerity I have seen women walk with bare feet upon sharp stones for long distances dis-tances for their belief I have seen wealthy ladies mingle with beastly Indians and kneeling for hours on the filthy floor ef a cathedral for their belief I have seen devotees willing to wear a crown of thorns for their belief but that belief lacked the power and efficacy of acknowledgment ac-knowledgment of Gd From the days of Adam man was commanded to increase and multiply the decree de-cree still holds good on the fishes of the sea and the fowls of the air but the Catholic church says to some of its members that they must not obey that law and the Congress of the United States has said that many of the people of this country shall not obey the law I do not look for utter destruction to come upon this nation very rapidly ra-pidly many congressmen are honest hon-est as far their knowledge extends and there is salt in this nation yet many more can he found than the live required to save Sodom and Gomorrah Go-morrah It was a remarkable show of bravery for any congressman to vote against the Edmunds bill when the party lash was swung about the ears of every one of them and the fist of one member was held close to the nose of auother daring him to vote against the bill but several dared the party lash and placed themselves them-selves un record agaiust the bill because be-cause it as > so gm ingly unconstitu tional We sent cur petitions signed by thousands of settlers here ask ing merely for an honorable c jmmis awn to come and hear the busy hum of industry in our vales see the brightness of the children in our schools look at the happiness of our homes and find out the truth of the accusation concerning our depravity de-pravity That was all we asked for but our prayer was not granted Do I have an v feelings of hatred towards to-wards ti C jngress the President ore or-e pre of the United States No oiy religion has ta aghti me tot to-t > or them I saw men in the I ttc who said their names were affixed to documents asking for the destruction of this people without their consent but they had not the mural courage to stand up in public and say so now tal about the oppression op-pression among the Mormon people when compared to this I have seen in the east I never saw the day nor the hour when I would not raise my voice and my hand in defense of of the oppressed without asking any mans or any set of mens opinions yet these eastern men talk about i our oppression I am happy and proud in being an American citizen i but am prouder of being member of this church and of the knowl edge I have obtained My nature is proud and I could not have borne the contempt and scorn heaped upon me as a member of the church by persons who were my inferiors mentally men-tally morally and physically had it n been my knowledge that the work and its members were so much to be revered and loved Great men have not floated with the tide nor been swayed by public opinion when it went contrary to right Public opinion followed Chris f to the garden gar-den but did not sway him public opinion followed Christ to the bench of a heathen judge and cried out crucify him crucify him I but the judge washed his hands of the crime committed on our elder brother public opinion has made rivers of blood to flow public opinion has made the four walls of the dungeon to come together and crush out the lives of the imprisoned public opinion exterminated sixty millions lions during the time of the inquisition public opinion caused the pilgrim fathers to leave the old countries and land on the shores of a new country and found a free government I told an army officer while I was in Washington that we would do our best to obey the laws passed by Congress but if laws are passed to make us a race of slaves I it will have to be done at the expense ex-pense of our lives You may bury us in the mud of the Missouri bottom I bot-tom or in the depth of the sea but while we breathe the free air of the mountains and drink of the pure water that flows down our canyons you cannot make slaves of us If there had been a Charles Sumner or Daniel Webster in the Capitol the advocates of such a freedomdes troying measure as the Edmunds bill would have been driven into the corners of the halls of Congress until un-til they would have hung their heads in shame for attempting to pass such a measure in the land of liberty and freedom This spirit of freedom is among this people and they will love and obey the principles princi-ples of the gospel even though it should be at the point of the bayonet bay-onet or the mouth of the cannon or though the rope may be woven and placed around their necks I I cannot say what the course of the Latterday Saints will be but I win say if the time should come when they will be asked to renounce their principles and they have the Holy Ghost in their hearts they will turn their face to Jerusalem fall on their knees and cry Abba Father we know though livest and art our God If the time should come when we must leave our homes as my father has been called upon more than once to do I for one would freely make a deed of all I posses and turn it over to the Pres ident of the United States rather than it should fall into the hands of the ungodly designing unprincipled men in this territory who look with longing eyes upon our possessions I respect President Arthur for his courage in vetoing the Chinese bill and for asking the power to send able men on the commission to this territory to solve the Edmunds problem But who does not know how bad a returning board can be I We have had an instance in the action ac-tion of a Governor Murray returning return-ing Allen G Campbell with 1300 votes to Congress over the peoples choice George Q Cannon with 18000 votes I will ay for the satisfaction of my hearers that in the east I found a heavy under current cur-rent of sentiment which just so soon as it is convinced that the origin of the bill was the grasping of the revenue and power of this territory for lustful purposes and the assessment of heavy taxes that will cause myriads to rise and boldly i nd valiantly wage a war against the unholy men and means used for our hurt When the secession leaders said to our delegate under the dome of the capitol Now is your time to strike for freedom what was the reply No gentlemen we have asked and will ask again and again for our liberty and we will obtain it under the glorious stars and stripes I do not want to appear ap-pear brave or boastful l for I am naturally a timid man a coward if you please but I want to covenant here before you thatI am willing to and will defend my religious convictions con-victions with ail I possessor possess-or expect to possess with all my life is worth both here and hereafter here-after AVe may be persecuted le gall but tht does not always make it just for Jesus was nailed to the I cross by the edict ot 1gdl opinion and he went below all things to ascend I I as-cend above all things L bear testimony testi-mony that this is Gods kingdom and is as the little stone cut out of the mountain which will roll forth aud till the whole earth and every knee shall bow to whom to President Presi-dent John Taylor to any man No but to Jesus hrist oar king Let peace rest upon all Israel Love your enemies and pray for those who despitefully > use you and then indeed in-deed are you free Pray for all who are in the dark for those who have been sled by the priests who preach for hire and divine for money I heard a most excellent sermon while I was east but it was spoiled at the close by an earnest petition to raise three dollars and a half and though there were about 350 persons present they failed to raise the amount The choir sang an anthem Heavenly Heav-enly Zion benediction by Apostle Erastus Snow I Adjourned until 10 am Sunday = rFOUBTELDAY S S > Sunday October9 am president Taylor called the meeting meet-ing to order S The choir sang the hymn on page Ere 17 long tbn veil will rend in twain The king descend with all his train The earth will make with awful fright And all creation feel his mightg Prayer by President Jos E Taylor Tay-lor Hymn on page 195 Let Zion in her beauty rise Her light begins to shine Ere long her king will rend the skies Majestic and divine Elder L John Nuttall then presented pre-sented the authorities of the church who were unanimously sustained He read the following list of missionaries mis-sionaries GREAT BRITAIN Charles Wetherston Plain City Wilson Gates NowersBeaver Charles C Harris William Smith Tanner Payson UNITED STATES John Ormoud Logan Charles M NielsenKoosharem Christian Berger South Cottonwood Cotton-wood Wm M Palmer Glenwood Mons Anderson Lehi John W Coons Richfield Elias Nebeker Robert S Duke Heber Jacob Fisher Orderville GERMANY Ward E Pack jr Kamas Peter Krough Bloomington HOLLAND Peter Lammas Ogden John Eccar 15th Ward SANDWICH ISLANDS Marvin E PackKamas NEW ZEALAND Peter E Hansen 2nd Ward Jens Jensen Joseph Morris Greenville MEXICO Anthony W Ivins St George ICELAND Geeslie Byarnison Spanish Fork Pjetur Valgardson CC Egikur Otassen SAN JUAN SETTLEMENTS Porter V Clark Parowan William Adams George A Adams John E Adams Thomas Roley Alvin Benson Heber C Holyoak Lars Jensen John E Eyre Rasmus Mickelson jr Abraham A 0 S Webb Freeman W Pendleton AdelbertF McGreggor Simon T TophamParagoonah John B Topham ilarius E Dunton S John R Robinson jr Richard A Robinson AthertLamroaxS George Robb Thomas A Smith Summit Davis C Adams Cedar I John Leigh John C Hamilton Christian Anderson David Bullock Frederick Jones Samuel Wood Charles Wild en 0 Christian Makkeprang ARIZONA Alonzo Higbee Cedar Horace A Steele Salina Salt River I SAX LUIS VALLEY COLORADO Carl Frelericksen Fountain Green Evan F Green St George Niels C Heiselt Pleasant Grove Hansen Heiselt Jens C Cornum James Neilson Fountain Green James Jensen S I John Shawcroft Jordan Brady Fairview Wm Cheeney George Tucker N M Anderson Redmund Carl Hanson St Charles Idaho Hiram Seotield Para oonah David Boice Franklin Idaho GOOSE CREEK IDAHO Dorr P Curtis Harriman CASTLE DALE EMERY COUNTY Rasmus Justeson Spring City Henning Olsen He read the report of the P E fund for the half year endiug March 31 1SS2 Balance on hand October 31 1881 120818 Receipts 250339 Total 371157 Disbursements Disburse-ments 296673 Balance on hand 74484 PRESIDENT Jos F SMITH then read a few verses of a revelations given in 1813 to be found on page 219 new edition Doctrine and Covenants where the Lord says to the church let no man break the Jaw of the landfor he that keepeth the laws of God hath no need to break the laws of the land Also on page 357 a portion of a revelation given in December 1833 therefore it is not right that any man should be in bandage one to another And for this purpose have I established the constitution of this land by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose and re deemed the land by the shedding of blood Again in a revelation given August 1S33 page 342 and now verily 1 say unto you concerning tha laws of the land it is my will that my people should observe to do all things Whatsoever I command them and that the law or the land which is constitutional supporting that principle of freedom in main taining rights and privileges be longs to all mankind and is justi fiable before me therefore 1 the Lord justify you and your brethren of my church in befriending that t law which is the conatitutional law of the laud and as pertaining to I the law of man whatsoever is more or less thau these cometh of eVilj J JDherefore be not afraid = of r for I have il 0 t enemies or decreed in heart saith the Lord that I Will ny prove you in all things whether you will abide In my covenant even J unto death that you may be found worthy for if you will not abide in t my covenant ye are not worthy Of me This as I understand it is the law of God unto the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints in all the world and the requirement here made on us must be obeyed anti observed in our lives in order that we may secure the fulfillment of the promise made to the children of Zion And saith the Lord if ye do as I command then am I bound otherwise is there no promise The of the land which law we have no need to break is the constitutional law of the land as God himself defines it and whatsoever is fines more or less cometh of evil and there is no cause for any member of the church > to be in doubt concerning the meaning of this I maintain that he members of the church have tver been loyaland I maintain that having been born on American soil and from parents who for generations have been born on American soil 1 have the right to this opinion and express it and construe con-strue it I ask myself what constitutional consti-tutional w have you broken and can reply btfore this congregation that I never broke any law I am amenable to no punishment but have ever sustained the law and preached righteousness We are obliged to be subject to the powers that be but if they pass unjust and unconstitutional Jaws and violate their oaths and break their covenants coven-ants and their faith with the peo pie there is no law human or divine I di-vine which binds me to openly and 4 I outwardly proclaim my acceptan of it andmy firm belief is that tie only way to be sustained by on Heavenly Father is to follow the way laid down in holy writ and obey God for he has commanded us and declared that we will not be under the necessity of breaking the law of the land I wish to enter my avowal that the people called Latterday saints as it has often been repeated here are the most law abiding and long suffering suffer-ing people that can be found on the face of the globe and we propose to meet the consequences of our obedience to the law and the commandments com-mandments of God like men He read a passage of a revelation given in iS34 to be found on page 364 Behold I will give unto you a revelation rev-elation and commandment It is written that the enemies of the people of God cannot do anything but what will result in favor of Zion Let us see how far the acts of the people have gone towards nullifying these words of the Scripture Scrip-ture When Joseph Smith first looked upon the face of the Father and Son in k20 until the Book of Mormon was translated and published pub-lished to the world in 1829 the enemies ene-mies of the prophet did not cease for a moment to seek his life to malign him to proscribe him and cast his name out as evil from among men and during this period Joseph Smith was only a lad just 14 years of age a mere boy and had no vast congregation to cheer him to succor aud sustain him he stood alone persecuted on every hand Did they stop this boy from accomplishing accom-plishing the mission and purposes lIe had been sent to perform You know the world knows that they did not either by threats or attempts at-tempts on his life or imprisoning him impede his progress He went right on translated the plates published lished the Book of Mormon and in 1830 organized the church After that date did they refrain from their slanders their persecution No but as the work began to spread the feeliug of hatred persecution and animosity became stronger and the enemies more numerous The saints went onbuilt a temple ill Kirtland settled in Jackson County in Clay in Caldwell in Davis founded new colonies and the power ot the church gained both in uulk and acceleration The mobs drove the people from Missouri robbed them of their possessions fed them on the flesh of their brethren but Pb nix like they rose from the ashes and gathered in swarms in Illinois and built a temole in Nauvoo costing a million of dollars They then became be-came noted for their union to principle prin-ciple and determination to prosecute the promulgation and advocacy of their principles and though it was an incessant season of suffering and turmoil for fourteen years the work showed not the least sign of being rooted up and being left to dry in the sun it was transplanted into richer soil purer water and a more bracing atmosphere Finally our enemies succeeded in taking the life of the prophet and his brother and shedding the blood ot our honored president who sits here today it only made the work the stronger The blood of martyrs became the seed of the church Tnty move us from our homes in Xauvoo I remember re-member the day before we left Nau voo that my widowed mother made a raft and ferried her children t1Ii across the rivpr to Iowa and while we sat under a tree we heard the bombardment against our homes in Sauvoo I felt thankful that we had got away and had the prospect of hiding in the wilderness from our enemies It seems as though we object to being demolished and we dont intend to be destroyed for we know in whom we trust The saints came across the desert plaiDS and now compare tju r position with that which they lad In Naii voo in Missouri in Ohio in NeW York or in the old w rid God has blessed and prospered them and will continue to do so as long as they keep I faithful and the work will come off triumphant AVe may have to he i driven again I dont say we will but what has bean dune may bet be-t I ront ns a again Supposingit does men me-n 1l1y IV what is our conclusion IVpass t Will o dgiDg pass the future by the past ethet ffe a0 driven from here we will even po IIle up gome where else more num lOtUd erOUS and more powerful than were a in er we-re now My childhood and my lY Of S th were spent in wandering and 1th0 Suffering with the people of God 1 Of nd by the help of God my life shall ts in be spent to the end with them I rnent have no other place to go I want no I eYed other people to go with There is rder switching no sidetracking for nent no this church ic is to go right ahead dren on the straight and narrow track If ye and every man and woman must UTnd inake up their minds for this take T1I firm stand in the cause I am no thankful that everything is as well onal as it is with us and everything will de be right if we keep the commandments 3 Or command-ments of God and listen to the coun no selof his 1 servants 9h PHESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR said tiie there is one thing I wish to make a I hat remark or two upon I want for us aYe all to be liberal and deal with people lat peo-ple on liberal and just principles 2au but when any man or set of men for manifest a hostile spirit nnst us onto it is wise and proper is to on-to take care of ourselves a ittle 3n lYe have talked about th united sii uni-ted order and about cooperation ud as being something preparatory to a on better and higher state of things im There has been a feeling among ut many of our brethren to branch out ad into mercantile affairs and go off re on their own hook My idea is that rs if people will deal honestly justly ia and conscientiously one with the te other it is better for our brethren a to do this than our enemies It is o better to put means into the hands i of our friends than our enemies ford for-d some of the latter are not slow toe to-e use the means we pay them to injure e in-jure us Self preservation is the r first law of nature Oar Tee Te-e institutions have done very well d and if there are institutions that can i be introduced by our brethren let t them be sustained But we want 5 them to be honest to put away > chicanery and evil doings sustaining s sustain-ing the church and its principles s paying their tithing and upholding 3 the hands of good men If the Twill T-will not do this we will find somebody 3 some-body that will We want to sustain no hypocritical men either Mormon t or Gentile We want to go right along in the path of duty and fen no Canaanites or other itesjthey cant can-t do no more than the Lord will let them I feel all the time like saying say-ing Hallelujah I hallelujah I hallelujah hallelu-jah the Lord God omnipotent reigneth and he will reign until he hath put his enemies under his feet The choir sang an anthem Promised Land Benediction by Apostle F M Lyman Adjourned until 2 p in 2 pm The meeting was opened by tha choir singing the hymn on page 67 Praise ye the Lrd tis good to raie j Your heart mid voices In his prsise I I His nature nnrt h works invite To make this duly our delight Prayer by Erastus Snow J I The choir sang the hymn on page 403 403While While of these emblr wo nnrtake In JeEu name Hid fi h < n te Let us rememtr rld n u > Our hear and hniids are elf an and pure PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR spoke In attempting to address this congregation con-gregation he wished all to be as I quiet as possible I desire to speak i such words as shall be instructive I and ask an interest in the prayers of the faithful that we may be the better for our coming together I am aware of the position that we occupy today I feel that I am surrounded sur-rounded by a large number of intelligent intel-ligent men and women While I address you I also address the world for the remarks I make will bo published pub-lished Therefore I feel desirous to 1 advance such sentiments as will be I In accord with tIle enlightenment enlighten-ment of the Latterday Saints with the intelligence of the nineteenth nine-teenth century and with the principles I princi-ples which emanated from God We stand as a peculiar people in the midst of the earth We are here to represent principles which have emanated from God Anything we may have any intelligence we may be enabled to impart is not of ourselves our-selves it originated not with us it did not originate with Joseph Smith Brigham Young the Twelve ncr was it received from any insti tution of learning of science or from any religious political body I or otherwise A message was announced an-nounced to us by Joseph Smith the prophet as H revelation from God wherein he stated that holy angels had appeared to him and revealed re-vealed the everlasting gospel as it existed in former ages and God the Father and God the Son both appeared ap-peared to him and the Father pointing point-ing said this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Moroni a prophet who lived on this continent centuries ago revealed re-vealed to Joseph the plates containing contain-ing tie Book of Mormon and I Joseph was enabled to translate them into the Book of Mormon That book contains a record of the ancient inhabitants who dwelt upon this continent art of whom came from the tower of Babe and part from Jerusalem It contains a record of their worship and the dealings of God with them of their righteousness and iniquity and of the caning of the Savior unto them and pruning to them the same aoctriuH iat was taught on the con tinent or A ia I shall not attempt to bring tY proof of these matters tode u Latterday Saints are aeqi ned with th proofs Joseph omi and Oliver Gowdery were com tnde1 to baptize each other then John the Baptist con ferred 011 them the Aaronic priesthood then Peter James and John came and conferred the Melchesidek priesthood on them Then Moses Elijah Abraham r t Elias Adam Noah and many f the leading characters in scripturo came and conferred upon Joseph th > various keys powers and privileges which they had enjoyed in their times Then Jos Smith was commanded com-manded to preach this gospel and bear this testimony to the world I He was taught the same principles that were taught to Adam to Noah to Enoch to Abraham to Moses to the prophets to Elijah and to the twelve apostles by Jesus in former times and the same priesthood was organized only more fully because be-cause this was a combination of the various dispensations that existed in the different ages in the world called in Scriptures the dispensation of the fullness of time when God would gather together all things in one whether in earth or in heaven Therefore whatever of knowledge was conferred upon those men was again restored the earth through the agency or tnose who had held the severa riesthoods in the dispensation unuer which they lived Under the direction of the Almighty Joseph organized a churchand when people were called on to repentto be baptized and hare hands laid on them those who believed be-lieved received the attendant blessings bless-ings The various offices of the priesthood began to bo conferred on believers and the quorum of the Twelve in due time was organized Then a quorum of seventy elders was selected known by the name of the seventies We now have sevenentysix times seventy of these elders Then the first presidency presi-dency was organized to preside over the whole church then the high yriests were ordained then elders then teachers and deacons and these were organizations given by direct revelation and by which the church has been governed till the present time Then bishops were appointed then high councils were organized This was and is a testimony to the nations of the earth aud the Lord is and has been their instructor guide and director di-rector and the elders were told to go forth and preach the gospel to every I creature because confusion and disorders dis-orders and the theories of men had been substituted for the light and revelation and will and power oft of-t od They were told that we approached ap-proached to the latter times when God would have a controversy with the 11 tions of the earth and the message they were told to carry was that given to John on the Isle of Patmos this was the mission committed com-mitted by the Lord to the Latter day Saints This H i the mission we have been trying 10 carry out and I myself have traveled tens of thou sans of miles without purse or scrip trusting in God to tell them these things We were told when we went that we did not go to be taught but to teach others because others did not know the Tinciples of life We went nder the commands of the most nigh God We have spread form his gJspel among the nations Va unreasonable > No Was it iDfural Yes r sav it tonn oJ boastfully for I have no in elli gen ce but that which I have received from the principles of the gospel and from Godthat while l traveled through various portions of the earthamong the wise and intelligent intelli-gent as well as the poor and ignorant I have talked with their wise men with their senators and divines and I have never met with a man yet who could gainsay one principle of the gospel of God and 1 never expect I ex-pect to because eternal truth cannot can-not be controverted The nature of the gospel is just the same as that which was taught on the day of Pentecost The elders of this church preach the same testimony There is something about it which is reasonable intelligent susceptible of proof It was a very fair statement for Peter to make warning the peo pIe to repent and be baptized and they should receive the Holy Ghost and signs should follow It was not alone religious it was strictly philosophical The farmer sows seed and he expects it will produce its own kind There are principles in nature all true both in the vegetable animal and mineral creations in fact in all all thing and all these things are governed by eternal laws which cannot be departed from Certain I metals possess certain distinctive elements and they are always true to an unchangeable Jaw It is so in regard to all the elements with which we are surrounded so with regard to the heavenly bodies all are true according to the laws of nature Now here is a principle of the gospel that admits OL as strong a reason as anything in nature le pent and be baptized for the remission remis-sion of sins and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost It is just on the same I principle It was a bold position to take I asked the fir t elder that talked to me What do you mean by about this Holy Ghost 1 > If it will not do all that was promised by Peter lift Said T m nn imnnafrn I received the gospel which I found to be correct bec use it was reasonable reason-able Scriptural and intelligent and the elders w nt forth as I have done and they preached the same doctrines and the same principles Some are not very learned we send a singular class of people as our elders sometimes a la I borer a merchant a farmer a legislator and so forth to preach the gospel of eternal life they have received the gospel and are now enabled en-abled to teach others You that hear me have listened to these principles and have had held unto you t iese promises and when you received the truth you have alo received the blessings and you the congregationknow what I say is true and will not deny it Now this is a secret that the world does not comprehend they have not received it This people have a hope beyond the veil whither Christ our fore I 4 4r t I c t f runner has gone We are acting for eternity God is our father and we know it and when a lot of ignorant boobies go to work and try to overturn over-turn the faith of the Latterday Saints by sophistry or falsehood or folly it amounts to nothing We I are in possession of the principles of I eternal life and are operating I to build up the Zion of God where liberty can be proclaimed to all men of every color creed and nation Being placed in communication with God the sophistries and vagaries of men have no influence with them Their faith is built upon the rock of ages and that rock is rev eltion This is the position that we occupy Now then this is the religious re-ligious part of it We believe in virtue purity honesty integrity in telling the truth in treating all men justly and honorably in fearing God and keeping his commandments command-ments Do all do this No I wish we did A great majority are doing do-ing so and you that do not beware As we are here for the purpose of building up Zion God expects us to be honorable with one another and all men One part of the gospel is that we should be gathered together Have we been doing it Yes Some object to it Have we injured anybody by it V Is this the land of the free and the asylum of the oppressed op-pressed Cannot the United States I listen to the principles of truth Have we been opposed to the government gov-ernment of the United States No no no I and we are at the defiance I of all men to prove to the contrary We believe the constitution was given by inspiration of God because it was gone of those instruments which proclaims liberty throughout the land and to all the inhabitants thereof and it was because of those noble sentiments and the promulgation promulga-tion of these principles given to man that God said this constitution I was given by God to man Did we any wrong in coming here the way we did I think not Did we transgress the laws of the nation we left I think not Now then we gathered simply because we were told there was a Zion to be built The term Zion means the pure in heart This is in the Bible there is certainly no harm in believing the principles of the Bible We are always al-ways glad to receive the constitution constitu-tion of the United States and to be governed by it Being gathered gath-ered together we necessarily required some kind and of social organizations for when we caine here we brought our bodies with us and tilled the soil and produced and as we increased we built villages vil-lages and cities Was there any harm in it We finally petitioned peti-tioned for a state The people called a convention and a constitution constitu-tion was framed and forwarded to Washington The Congiess refused our application for n state but gave us a territory called Utah Strange to say how mens notions change They are trying now to interfere in-terfere with us because of our polygamy but at that time they appointed ap-pointed a polygamous governor But men change I suppose thev called it progress They said they did not know this principle then This was not so for as soon as it was revealed Orson Pratt went to the city of Washington published the doctrine lectured on it and published pub-lished a paper called The Seer as many of you know Some time after that we had United States officials sent here not polygamous One of them wanted to let us see how civilized he was when he came and he brought a strumpet with him and placed her on the bench with him He left his wife at home He did this to edify the people Fortunately there was no Edmunds bill then Laughter Perhaps it was considered very beautiful or aesthetic away from here but we did not feel edified the people were indignant and he others went back to Washington and said the Mormons Mor-mons were rebellious These men were as untruthful as many of the ministers are today We know these men here and the word Reverend Rev-erend to their names covers a multitude multi-tude of sins We all know these men here Now then we go back to Judge Drummond and others We did not like their civilization civili-zation and they were not enamored of ours If there is any lasciviousness lascivious-ness in our people we are indebted to our Christian friends for it and to the judges for protecting it 1 ill these people came in our midst we had no houses of illfame we need not to lock our doors to prevent thieves from praying upon us we had no drunkards among us These things have been introduced by our gK > il kind pure Christian brethren vre go back to the statements of these friends They were believed MI Vashington They said that w e b1ti burned the state library and court records and instead of sending out persons to investigate they took the words of these Lotharios and sent an army After knawing mules legs at Bridger laughter we sent them salt which they refused to receive While we knew that they had a beautiful military outfit we did not want them to try the temper of their arms upon us That the statements are false which Judge Drummond and others made at Washington I will have read proof to the contrary Here L Nuttall read the report of Governor Cumming who came out with the army dated executive office Great Salt Lake City April 15185SJ When this was read President Taylor continued Knowing by experience ex-perience the action that has been taken in former times when a great furore has been gotten up and when a lot of ministers have been prowling I in our midst I am sorry to use the word but they look more like prowlers than ministers Our mission mis-sion has always been peace on earth good will to men We have Catholics U3aptists fefehQdists and Presoy a < 4i f4 J > 7 teriansin midstand they preach their doctrine I believe a man in Sanpete stated that he had to preach his religion with a revolver on his desk to protect him another reverend rever-end gentleman said that armies were gathering here Will any of iou i-ou tell me where any of these armies are gathering We have a species of birds here they call buzzards buz-zards and they are fond of any nauseous dead carcass and they are trying to root up something against our people They make all kinds of statements about us and they have fanned the United States almost into a fury against us These stories go to people who know no better and these people believe the stories They tell about the terrible suffering suffer-ing in polygamy Well I suppose some men do not treat their wives well and some women do not treat their husbands properly I suppose nerhaTis onetenth of thesfi srnr > ments retr eVe do not all do right by a great deal but suppose we go to their cities to their gilded palaces would we be aole to find as filthy things about them as they tell about us They say we are not very intelligent Well we are not vev learned but it does not do for them o boast too much We are not V y learned but we are willing to Compare notes with them and they have aad millions to help them while we have been robbed and driven Yet we are not afraid Ito I-to compare notes with them regarding I regard-ing virtue intelligence etc and we may be able to say as the scrip ture Thou tool take the beam out of thine own eye For the benefit 1 of those who live at a distance I will have some statistics by a Gentile Gen-tile read to you Here L JNuttall readsome statistics stat-istics from a pamphlet published in the east by an exUnited States official offi-cial regarding Utah and its educational educa-tional standing as compared with other states Che reading was moderately lengthy after which the resumed re-sumed I give these statements for the information ot the brethren We are ready as I said before to compare com-pare notes with the people of any nation ai any time We thought at first it was impossible that the Ed munds bill should pass When we saw it was likely we got up petitions peti-tions from the various classes of people and associations They all represented that we were a virtuous people that polygamy was a religious religi-ous institution and that the young people had been taught the principles princi-ples of sobriety of purity and of virtue The request was that Congress Con-gress would not do f as it had done before first send troops and then persons to examine I blame the Governor partly for this Now I am not in favor of talking about our officials They are supposed to be honorable men but the most reasonable reason-able construction I could put upon his act is that his education had been neglected No one could blame a man because he could not distinguish between 1300 and 18000 but it shows a lamenable deficiency in his education but then a man is j not to be blamed for what he does not know laughter I am afraid that there are some not any better educated in Washington tor they could see no wrong in his action and they sent him back here again I hope when they send the commissioners commis-sioners that they will be a little better educated and can tell the difference dif-ference detween 1300 and 18000 Are we going tojrebel not much we do not have much of that feeling in us we feel sympathy for those who know no better We feel the truth of the old adageTruth crushed to earth will rise again and it is said that error will run a thousand miles while truth is putting put-ting on its boots We will contend for our constitutional rights as American citizens We mean to contend for the ricrhts of American citizens but to tJdo everything legally intelligently and as good Latterday Saints While we have a mission to proclaim to the nations of the earth w e have a mission to proclaim and maintain as well as we can the principle of human rights There are principles that belong to humanity outside of constitutions con-stitutions and the laws of men One is the right to live It was given us by God and no man has the right to I take it away If there has been oppression and tyranny in the world it has been caused by the degeneracy of men The declaration declara-tion of independence tells us we have the right to life and the pursuit pur-suit happiness The wish I have is that the United States could give to all men all liberty and that while they talk of delivering the slave they would deliver the south I w iiHh has has been groaning under oppression ever since the war and i that they could give to all me the broadest liberty This is the worst wish I have I Avoulu like to talk if I had time about constitutional rights and about the unconstitutIOnality the Edmunds bill But that has been very ably done by senators It is true they apologized for it and said they were as much opposed topoljgamy as any others Can 1 blame them No They have aright a-right to that opinion as l have to mine I would not deprive them of those opinions if I could The I speaker then related a conversation he had with exPresident Hayes while he was here I could not expect ex-pect the senators who opposed the Edmunds bill as unconstitutional as I do to advocate our religion that is not their business They can have any religion they wish Could we could I could you give the practice of a plurality of wives to the people of the United States No you could not You know that 1 t is only honest and virtuous men and women who can be vouch d f i that can be admitted ad-mitted to participate in this ordinance ordi-nance Sou all know this If the J 4 i IJ 1 4 jr Tv t r United States would ask if we could give to them the ordinances we have in relation to this matter we would say that we could not because be-cause it is a religious condition because be-cause it associates the people of this world with the time and eternity Others make their marital covenants until death do them part Ours contemplate an eternal union of the sexes This is the difference and that is why they cannot enjoy it I believe be-lieve it would be better for them to have polygamy even in their condition condi-tion or existence instead of the practice now common among them England can afford to give 200000 000 polygamists under it protection but our government cannot afford to protect us Ill guarantee and I fear no contradiction that there is more of the Suttee today In the United States among children than there ever Was in India llnrrlinO I to the population What a horrible tale it is to tell I tell you in the name of God that if you introduce these things here God will be after you 1 am told that physicians are trying to do these things here Look after them you bishops bring them us and as God is our help will not permit this slaughter of innocents I say too to the United States or any nation that sanctions these thingswoe to men and women who practice larcentiousnessand especially es-pecially to those who practice and sustained the practice of the slaughter slaugh-ter of innocents I tell you God will require it at your hands What shall we do Well do what is right as we always have done we will maintain and obey all constitutional laws and we mea to contende for and have our constitutional rights as free American citizens Treat your wives right but dont subject yourselves to oppressive laws any more than you can help Be wise as serpents and be harmless as doves A man in Washington said under this law we should turnout turn-out our wives as they do their bar 1 lots We wont do it we will never I do so and let all Israel say Amen t Here the congregation strongly responded AmenJ We will standby stand-by our covenants and the Constitution Constitu-tion will bear us out in it As the speaker drew to a close be became more and more enthusiastic and at his desire nearly every person in the large congregation waved one arm high above his head and repeatd measuredly after President Taylor in loud clear and ringing tones the words Hosanna hosanna hosanna ho-sanna Glory to God in the highest high-est for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth Elder L J Nuttall then presented pre-sented the following additional names of missionaries who were unanimously sustained by the vote of the conference FOR TilE SANDWICH ISLANDS Edward Partridge of Fillmore to preside over that mission William C Partridge Fillmore UNITED STATES Thomas C Briggs of East Bountiful Bounti-ful The choir sang an anthem Put on thy strength 0 Zon Conference was adjourned till the 6th of October next at 10 oclock a m Benediction by President Joseph F Smith I