Show BELIGIOUS SERVICES I At the Tabernacle on t Last Sunday Afternoon APOSTLE J TAYLOR SPEAKS < f j His Be view Early Church History The Came for Persecutions Creed of the Latterday Snlnts The services at the Tabernacle on Sunday afternoon last were begun by the choir singing the hymn commencing commenc-ing Sing to the great Jehovahs praise Prayer by Elder William Bayliss Singing Come Ictus anew our journey pursue During the administering of the first part of the Sacrament the choir sang Guide us 0 thou great Jehovah APOSTLE JOHN W TAYLOR in addressing address-ing the congregation said he was thankful in being privileged to be present on this the first Sabbath of 1SS7 The year just numbered with the past had been an eventful one particularly particu-larly in what was legally termed prose cuban bat recognized by the Saints as j persecution There were numerous instances in-stances of the Lords protecting care over His people during the fifryyi years of its existence In the early days of the church the Saints were suo jected to oppression and abuse not on account of polygamy but because they believed in direct revelation from heaven The divines arid people of the world believed that the canon of Scrip tures was full they believed so now When the idea of direct revelation was first promulgated a young man between be-tween 1C and 17 years of age rose up and told the world that the angel Moroni in answer to his prayers appeared unto him and told him tope to-pe t of his sins i that if he would remain launiui ne snould be instrumental instru-mental in performing the work of beginning the upbuilding of the king dom of God These truths he proclaimed pro-claimed in his native tate Vermont and in New York Ater a brief period he received successive visitations from heavenly personages until the hiding place ot the recdrd of the ancient inhabitants in-habitants of the American Continent the Hill Cumorah was revealed o him This is toflay recognized by the Saints as the Book of Mormon and contained a history of the other sheep which the Savior said He had and which He visited Joseph Smith covenanted with the Lord to continue in the work This being t first Sunday the New Year Apostle Taylor said he would like to call the attention of the Saints to their first love for tho gospel to their first works When the principles of the ospel were first proclaimed and angels had talked with men the people abroad considered those who said so were insane The pretext for beginning per secuti jn was not that Joseph Smith had more wives than one it was because he brought forth the Book of Mormon and translated it by the aid of the Urim and Thummim He was obliged to move from the State of New York and when on the 6th of April 1830 the church was organized with six members mem-bers the spirit of oppression grew and increased elders were sent abroad to proclaim the tidings of salvation and as they multiplied their teachings aroused more and more the spirit of persecution The same plan laid down by Jesus for proving the children of men was also adopted by the Latterday Saints the lame officials in the church were selected the same doctrines were promulgated the same signs promised by the Savior were promised by the elders of the church Had the signs followed the Latterday Saints in their acceptance of the gospel and obedience to its requirements Do they really exist among the Latterday Saints There were many professors of religion ligion ia the worla continued the speaker There were many sects which had some virtue but none hau the complete com-plete system of salvation He explained ex-plained the correct way of ordaining officers in the church how Joseph Smith received his authority to act in organizing the priesthood at the hands of Peter James and John There were many who visited the Tabernacle who did so out of curiosity they came and found apostles prophets teachers etc and were struck with thee odd feature of the Mormon church yet Elder Taylors wonder was tnat such officers did not exist more generally throughout the Christian world Here he referred the congregation to the organization or-ganization of the church formerly as recorded ia Pauls Epistle to the Ephcs tans And he gre some tp3stlesandsoine i prophets and sOme evangelists and fcbine pastors and teachers for the perfection of he Saints for the work of ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ Are the people of this earth to day perfect Do they need ministering unto Have all been brought to a unity ot the faith l Where there are no correct officers and no communication with the heavens the people are drivrn about bv every wind of doctrine Where will these officers be found in the church placed there by God Paul addressing ne Galatian said If I or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel than that which ye have received let h m be accursed The circumstances of me Day of Pentecost were related when speaking in tongus called forth the accusation ac-cusation that certain men wire drunk the working upon the fe jugs of those present up to toe pitch of exclaimitg Men and brethren what shall we do to be saved Those ministers of the world who professed to have the Holy Ghost did not acknowledge acknowl-edge that they had the signs nod cifts which accompany its ministrations The promises made by the Savior were said by them to have been done away wth the gifts ot healing prophecy etc were not enjoyed by any of the present day sects The possession of the Holy Ghost insured prophecy These blessings > gifts and signs were not possessed by the denominations oft of-t e world today but they claimed to have the Holy Ghost These iceas were probably new to a number of his hearers but they were old and tad exited from time immemorial im-memorial John Wesley wa a vrv intelligent man an hones man AiuJ he saw clearly what th speaker jeferriog to when tc fro Where shall we wander now to find Successor they have left behind le failed to find the true organiza tion of the church on the earth Many will ask the same questIon8 today but the answer will not be satisfactory When Joseph Smith went to Ohio he sent missionaries to preach and promise the gifts and blessings to teacn the world the perfect plan of salvation they were received with amazement and viewed as curiosities The promise I of the gift of the Holy Ghost which would show unto those who received it things past present and future was then regarded by the world as something some-thing strange and even now sit s-it embraced direct revelation it was rejected The angel spoken of in Revelations xiv 6 had flown through the midst ot heaven the authority was conferred to administer in the ordinances ordi-nances of the gospel officers were duly commissioned There was a great hubbub in the nation na-tion concerning the Mormons this litr tie handful of people were creating a false terror to many people abroad yet strangers when they come here inquire for the terrors and go about seeking for the causes for alarm and wonder It was so in former days and the question was often asked concerning Jesus and His disciples Who are these men Elder Taylor volunteered correct information infor-mation to any who sincerely sought it He bore a strong testimony that the Saints were preaching alvation for mankind man-kind The early nersecutions were begun in the Eastern States but every act of persecution had magnified the people and they had increased in numbers He advised all to seek truthful reports of the Mormons they would find them industrious temperate and honest The evilspeaking indulged in by the enemies of the Saints was doing good in advertising the Church and its doctrines doc-trines The Saints were misunderstood and misrepresented but patience is a virtue I In conclusion he advised al who desired de-sired to seek correct information concerning con-cerning the Saints to secure some of the Church works he briefly stated the creed of the Church and what was looked forward to He promised all who would repent and be baptized and receive the laying on of hands that they should receive the Holy Ghost and obtain a knowledge for themselves they would be like the man who built his house upon a rock referred to in the following passage Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings say-ings of mine and doeth them I will liken him unto a wise man which built ms house upon a rock And the rain desceneeS and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not tWit was founded upon a rock And every one that heareth these sayiL > of mine and doth them not shall be lIkene I unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand i And the ram descended and the floods I came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it itNone t None would enter the Kingdom of God on the wings of popularity He exhorted all the Saints to live faithful lives and not be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ The sons and daughters daught-ers of the elders of Israel will carry on the work of the Lord which would never be taken from this earth The Lord will defend Zion His ways are not mens ways The people must become be-come united temporarily and spiritually spi-ritually The people of the nation arc trying solve the Mormon problem the Mormons would some day solve theirs He blessed all his hearers and exhorted the Saints to endure unto the end he also implored blessings upon hose in prison and those in exile He urged upon all to be virtuous temperate tem-perate exemplary in all their vyalka and honest in their everyday dealings f ho nation had said the Mormons must be scattered and put down but every stroke they made would magnify them Be firm and faithful he said let the world do what they will the work of God will go on be steadfast in working righteousness Realizing that he had occupied a longer time f than usual in his address Cider Taylor was reminded of Apostle Erastus Snow who on one occasion was endeavoring to work up a climax to wind up a discourse which had exceeded the time allotted to speakers by about half an hour and who during a breathing spell heard a fervent Amen from an aged gentleman by his side Turning to the source of the interrup tion he said Thank you Pvc been trying to think of that for half an hour and sat down Singing by the choir of the anthem Praise 1e the Lord1 and benediction 1 by Elder James H Anderson |