Show APOSTLES SOUND TALK pres woodruff blesses the congregation DAY 10 a m when tho services opened monday morning apostalo F M lyman who was released from the penitentiary ut G that morning after serving a torna for unlawful cohabitation was on the stand I 1 the choir sang great is the lord good to praise his high and holy name well may the saints in litter days his wondrous roua love proclaim prayer was offered by elder jacob gates singing corns thou day of promise come and spread thy cheerful ray when the scattered sheep of israel shall no longer go astray APOSTLE FRANKLIN D addressed tho conference tho following being tho Euba tanco of hig remarks it is a great blessing which but few of us fully realize that we are permitted to associate together in the holy faith it is different to what it was when the church was in its infancy the saints are now more fully taught as the doctrines were not fully revealed at first we should dismiss the cares of the world and concentrate our desires and faith on what is before us on the truth that there is great and means to bring borth that which is needed for tho instruction st of the people what is said may not necessarily be new but it will be profitable whether now or old As it is physically tho simplest food is often the most desirable so with spiritual instruction it is need we should adopt in our lives that which has already been given to us in this way we seek to conform to the image of gods own beloved son thus we can see ourselves progressing from grace to grace and faith to faith on the way to a fullness after the similitude of christ I 1 am often reminded in reading the boot of mormon in the work of tho revision in translating the volume into the jewish language of the fact that lehi and his family wore brought from the land of jerusalem which the lord predicted was to bo visited with destruction they were planted in this land which is choice above all others having been engaged la looking over the book of mormon I 1 am reminded of those earnest and impressive words of one of the early prophets I 1 believe nephi and ro also by benjamin with regard to the goodness mercy and blessings of god unto us he realized that the lord had compassion on his father lohl he informed him that jerusalem aas going to be taken captive in his great mercy he had him the impending ruin and brought him and his family forth into this goodly land of america which tho lord had said was the choice land abobo all othera in the multitude of gods marcios mer cios to us we have occasion to be thankful that our lot is cast in this land of promise this land of joseph a land choice for its richness and fertility of soil but still of greater importance because of the liberty and the constitutional government that has been established herein for we can see now what the liberal principles of republican publican Ke government give unto us in the incon veni enee which we and our brethren and our families experience from time to time because of the limitation of their liberty on account of religion if it ie thus in this land of froe government what would it be under an absolute monarchy or oven limited monarchy we read of the bartholomew massacre some of us may have traveled over tho vory places where men have been burned at tho stake for their religious faith when their faith only extended to their morality they bad no authority to administer under the ordinances of tho lord if men in these times could so readily give themselves up to be a consuming sacrifice fur the little faith they had to hope for the little knowledge that they possessed how much more have wa occasion to bo thankful we have reason to be full of gratitude to god the speaker then many of tho glorious promises promie es thai had been prophetically made concerning the landof america and which were being realized by the saints he then spoke upon a number of themes included among which were the object for which tho saints have gathered to learn of the ways of the lord the things of god can only bu understood by his spirit the necessity of prayerful devotion keeping the sabbath holy tho necessity of avoiding all profane expressions the observance of fast days tho great work do Tolving upon the saints to be done in behalf of the dead tho proper use of tho authority of the priesthood the resurrection and other subjects BISHOP r ani pa win sustain me bv your laith and drayers while I 1 address yon 1 have rejoiced with you in the instructions received during this con the glorious manifestations of the spirit of god exhibited i tho remarks that have been enado to bo numbered amont people who receive euch great blos sa I 1 rejoice that we have with us so many of the brethren of the twelve who have been released from imprisonment in which they have been held for the testimony of jesus we as tho people of bcd are expected to acknowledge if is hand under all circumstances and in all things whether they bo pleasant or disagreeable whether they appear like success or seeming failure even if we had not the leading brethren ath us there is a faith in the hearts of the saints that would acknowledge the hand of the almighty in that condition job remembered his creator in the days of his prosperity but more fully exhibited the greatness of his soul in his subsequent adversity which he bore with exemplary patience giving glory to god when ordered by his wife to cursa god and die his answer was in effect the lord hath given and the lord hath taken away blessed bo the namo of the lord ho knew how to confess gods kand in all things it is in the midst of trouble persecution and trial that the greater opportunity is given to men to show the metal that is in them A few weeks ago we listened to a discourse from this stand in which the speaker eloquently portrayed the greatness of general grant on the neld of appomattox and showed the magnanimity of his great soul towards his fallen foe but I 1 consider that general leo the man who then surrendered evinced equal valor equal greatness at least when on the fieldor fiel dof gettysburg he shattered forces falling back and the hopes of the confederacy melting like snow before the sun under that decisive stroke which in reality decided the question of war in the moment of defeat when a weak man might have blown out his brains or fallen to cursing all that general lee did was to say with a sigh wo cannot always win victories the patience that he there manifested showed the greatness of his soul no loss than tho magnanimity of his victor on the field of appomattox of all people on the earth thero are none having stronger opportunities for exhibiting hi greab qualities than the lat ter day saints all will have in their time the privilege of showing patience courage heroism the attributes of a job against none is the anger of the lord kindled except those who will not keep his commandments and acknowledge his hand in all things tho saints aro led by faith but tho world by grosser senses in the spirit world we maintained oar stand by sight we are having a more severe lost now when the face of our father is hidden from our gaze it is greater to believe and not see than it is to believe because we havo seen it is greater to receive a silent revelation of gods will than to demand visible manifestations to bolster up our positions the inward evince is superior to the visible tho latter being but a product of the former the genius which creates is greater ahta that which is created then let us go on and manifest tho virtue of the savior and his followers even though we do not see him we should do this because the spirit of revelation impels us forward doing right fur rights sake may god bless his church his priesthood and people the victory of this work is as suro as tho rising of tomorrows to morrows sun singing ye who are called to labor and to minister for god blest with the royal priesthood and called by mis word benediction by president angea M cannon rpm the congregation was called to order by the choir singing the hymn commencing arise barise with joy survey the glory of the latter day prayer by elder junius F wells singing by the choir how are thy servants blest 0 lord how sure in their defense eternal wisdom is their guide their help omnipotence M LYMAN ad dressed the conference ho said I 1 am pleased with the privilege of meeting with the saints in general conference and listening to the testimonies ti monies of the servants of the lord ho also was willing to bear his testimony and speak oi tho goodness of god we have greater cause to rejoice than any other people the lord has revealed the truth rega d ing himself his son and the holy ghost and our relationship to him and the principles that will enable us to bo his sons and daughters we are charged with the duty of preaching abo to the whole world he has given us tho spirit of the lord to enable us to accomplish this the church has now been established for nearly a generation wo aro gathered on this land and god has given us the living oracles who are within our reach each individual saint worthy the namo has a personal testimony that this is the work of god never to bo removed nor abolished the church is fully organized and the organization is perpetual tho church cannot bo diminished by the loss of any member or quorum tho god of heaven has established and sustained it gince the arst revelation of the father and the son to joseph smith the hearts of men have been prepared to receive the truth and many thousands have embraced it no man is indispensable god can raise ap whom ho will choso whom ho selecia are required to be honest pure and valiant tor corthe the truth so will all the members they should bo willing to endure to perform missions or do whatever is required there should be in tho hearts of the saints a lovo for tho truth and a love for mankind no matter as to their condition they should be filled with charity and render assistance by word and deed j to the afflicted that mankind may become one there are hero a host of men bearing the priesthood representing god on tho earth tho fjord expects all such to do their duty no man can bo excused for sins cither of omission or commission we are expected to attend the meetings of the saints especially those at which the sacrament is administered we are to partake of it till christ shall come this ordinance tends to tho saints those who are neglectful regarding it will lose faith and among such the sick will not be so readily healed people who livo near the house of god and do not attend on such occasions aro not living in the light and spirit of the gospel the necessity of attending to sacrament meetings should bo taught by parents as to our salvation until we have completed the race wo have run well for a season but the question of our continuing to the end is one of great importance we should bo a devout and prayerful people those who neglect the things of which I 1 have been speaking are unworthy of the blessings of the lord we have been preserved and increased and the work is not diminishing the faith of the gospel is increasing in the hearts of the people when the time of anal comes we will learn that the saints are bettor than they appear to bo they know that god lives and the church and kingdom of our father cannot be broken the lord has made this fact known to israel it is important for us as tho servants oi the lord to be devoted to be faithful to be humble to be contrite charitable kind and loving and try bowin the erring and lead them in the paths chieh lead to eternal life wo should cultivate the spirit of the lord and its enlightening influence that we may know on all occasions that what is presented by his servants comes from god himself when the president of the church is presented to the people his counselors tho apostles all or any one of them there should really be in the heart of every latter day saint a testimony that ho is the man to bo the president as we can testify today to day in regard to brother woodruff brother cannon brother smith and the apostles who stand here and hold their positions today to day in the midst of icrael it is necessary tho people should know they are men of god not only through their personal acquaintance and knowledge of them and their close association with them j in times of trouble but they should know by the gift and power of god and then they cannot be wrong unless they have this knowledge they are not aa thoroughly established in the kingdom as they ought to be every man who has not this knowledge is liable to have misgivings and doubts in to theao chief quorums of tho church in every measure that is adopted every mission that is established and everything that before the peo plo and required of them thero should be a testimony abiding in the hearts of the saints that they all come from god now do the lat ter day saints know this I 1 say they do and no apostle can stand up here and teach the latter day saints an error without the people detecting it if an apostle goes astray if he sins against ged and against his fellow men if he is not upright devout and true to the cause which god has entrusted to his care the latter day saints will detect it all men women and children who have reached the years of understanding and have received tha holy ghost are entitled to know men to know their bishops their presidents of stakes and the members of their high councils to know the high priests and seventies they have the testimony in their hearts that these are men of god they can reckon them up quite correctly tell exactly where they stand their degree of faith and judge them by their work not by their faith and testimony alone but by the things which they perform now you high and seventies if you are not honest anon if you do not keep the commandments of god if you drink with the drunkard and swear with the profane and if you are corrupt we will find you ant god will find you out for you cannot deceive in the kingdom of god you cannot obtain by deception any of the rights blessings and privileges of the lord or his TSing dom if again there I 1 are those who do not honor the priesthood if ve do not exercise ourselves in righteousness in in justice in holiness I 1 would not give a fig for the authority or power of such men why is it that the latter day saints are not broken into pieces and discouraged wo were not dis cour agod in the very beginning when beje but few of us when the prophet stood almost alone hounded from place to place persecuted and prosecuted why was he not discouraged because he could not be we cannot bo discouraged for god is at alie helm and has established us individually as well as collectively in wards and in stakes and in branches of the whole planted this work upon the oarth and it will remain are we to blame for it no did I 1 originate any of it no not a sentiment not one thought or particle of it was it originated by the prophet joseph no nor any other man ier is the work of god and will endure and the choice spirits which god has gathered from among the nations of the earth those whom he is sending are wore before they came here who will bo faithful hero angwill and will endure hereafter Thatis tho class at people and of spirits who are come to the earth whom god has gathered and is sending tons persecution never destroys the church and langdom of god it only makes men more faithful more devoted it only increases their strength for have wo not the surest of all promises that if wo keep the commandments of god we shall receive persecution and when tho church has been withdrawn from the earth when prophets have been killed when the savior himself was killed and his servants before him it has all happened in accordance with the mind and will of god the laviora ya viora life have been taken bad it not have been necessary no it was necessary that he should dimand thai his blood should bo spilt in order that we might obtain a |