Show BY PEEST TO THE OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF TUE CHURCH read by bishop 0 F saturday afternoon DEAB BRETHREN AND SISTERS at each of the past six general conferences of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints there has been an epistle from the presidency of the chuich read to the assembled officers and saints and published for the benefit of those who were pro vented from being present at the conference the reasons for this are well known to the church and the world A number of the apostles have been unable to personally attend these conferences or other open gatherings their voices have not been heard instructing encouraging strengthening and warning the saints or in the discharge of the other public duties which devolve upon them in connection with their ministry it was proper therefore that epistles should be written to the church in which counsel could be given and testimony be borne while this condition of affairs so far as those apostles are concerned still remains unchanged the instructions upon general subjects in the previous epistles are so copious and apply so directly to the entire lives and surroundings roun dings of the saints that we deem it not necessary to repeat them at the present time or to write a lengthy epistle opposition confronting THE SAINTS no people of whom wo have any knowledge have been called upon to pass through such scenes and to have such a peculiar experience as the latter day saints the trials and difficulties we have had to contend with so numerous and so varied in character have scarcely been equaled in our generation but those we have had to meet during the past three or four years and which still confront us are new even in our experience they have come upon us in a new shape originating in the same source the same spirit and designed for the same end as other plans which have been put into operation farour injury and overthrow the present attack which is made upon us differs largely in many of its features and methods from anything wo have ever had to encounter ve leave been led to expect from the beginning that as the work of god grew and developed in the earth the resistance si to it would become more formidable and widespread wide spread would increase in intensity and vigor and bring into antagonism to it more influential powers this has ever been the voice of prophecy and testimony unto us concerning the future of the work of god which wo have espoused if then we have not been prepared for these trials which we now have to overcome it has not been because we have not been warned of their approach by the testimony of his spirit and by the voices of his faithful servants god has given his ample time for preparation and the latter day saints who have lived so as to enjoy the spirit of their religion have expected and have prepared themselves to meet such trials as have come upon us and others which may yet be in reserve for us before the final victory is achieved over satan and the embattled powers of darkness THE PRIVILEGE OF revelation it is this pre knowledge which god has given concerning his work and which he constantly imparts as it is needed to his people wh h is one of the chief causes oatha strength possessed by the latter day saints it is the principle of revelation from the head of the church to the church itself a principle which in its operation is not confined to one man or to three men or to twelve men but is extended to every individual in the church in greater or less degree as each one chooses to avail himself of it there is an appointed way however by which revelation from the lord for the government of his church is received there is but one man on the earth at a time who holds this power but every individual member has the privilege of receiving revelation from the lord for his guidance in his own affairs and to testify to him concerning the correctness 0 public teachings and movements the great promise which accompanies the preaching of the gospel as revealed from the heaven in our day is that the holy ghost will bo bestowed upon the sincerely penitent who obey its holy ordinances through the holy ghost a knowledge of things past present and to come is communicated and the mind and will of the father made in this way the almighty reveals hi a purposes to those who oboy his commandments and whose lives are pure and acceptable before him so that they can be prepared for all the events and trials that may lie in their pathway if there are any members of the church who do not know by their own experience that this is true they may be assured that they do not live up to their privileges all saints should be in close communion with the holy ghost and through it with the father or there is danger of theia being overcome of evil and by the wayside we therefore say to the latter day saints tho holy ghost will not dwell in an unholy tabernacle if you would enjoy the full powers and gifts of your religion you must be pure if youart guilty of weak nesses follies and sins you must repent of them that is thoroughly them in no other way can we please god man of holiness is his name and ha delights in the efforts of his children to be pure ABSENCE OF OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH we feel to in this strain for the reason that while the latter day in order to prosper in their religion and to increase in tha knowledge of god must always live dose to him the present is an extraordinary time which appears to require more help and strength from the lord than usual the chirck has been left as never for so boig a time before without the public ministrations of a number of the men to whom its members have looked for instruction and counsel not only has the number of the apostles who could minister in public been greatly reduced but the same causes which regulated them to seclusion have had the effect to keep many presidents of stakes and their counselors bishops and their counselors as well as high councillors councilors Counci lors and other active men in the priesthood from officiating in their callings the people felt the absence of these men and the loss of their teachings and guidance but has the lord on this account forgotten his people no certainly not tho prayers of the faithful men of god who have been prevented from ministering to the people and whose hearts have been full of love and earnest desire for their welfare have been constantly offered to the lord that he would have mercy on his flock that he would make up to them by the more abundant outpouring of his holy spirit for the deprivation to which they have been subjected in not having the presence of many of his servants among them THE HAND AND PURPOSES OF GOD the savior said it is impossible but that of fences will come but he unto them through whom they come in our case of fences have come and it has appeared that we could not avoid them shall we not acknowledge the hand of god in that which has taken place in our land and which affects us so deeply we who have seen in all our affairs and in all the events which have happened to us his providence so visibly manifested if must feel that the occurrences of the pat throe or four years have bean by him for a wise purpose we cannot suppose that these happenings have been by chance and without a design god has not BO dealt with us in the mysterious as have been many things when wo had them to encounter time has never failed to throw light upon find explain them when they happened perhaps we acknowledged theland the hand 0 the lord in them because of the lord jiovino Jio vins I 1 should do so but this was upon the principle of faith afterwards however we have looked back to these events and seeing how ponderously wonderous ly god has wrought we in the fullness of our hearts and in view of the results have acknowledged not in faith but in developed knowledge that gods hand was in all that occurred so with the experience painful though it be which wo are now gaining god has a purpose to accomplish in permitting the treatment which we have received V the result to others who ate prompted and been active in pushing it to us it cannot be anything but profitable and beneficial if we receive it in the right spirit and bear it patiently one good effect is apparent the latter day saints are compelled perhaps to a greater extent than ever before to alink and act for themselves and not 0 o depend so much upon others to lead them some not having lived so as to have the presence and guidance of the holy ghost may stumble and fall but those who have lived up to their privileges will find that god has not forgotten his promises and has not left his leopla to them selves nor without a testimony as to the course they should pursue THE SAINTS MUST BE TESTED tho pathway of tho people of god has been beset with difficulties they have been environed with dangers dark clouds have almost en shrouded them but amidst all these the still small voice of the spirit of god has been heard his saints have had a testimony from him that the course they have been led to take is the right one and that he will never fail to make known his mind and will to them BO long as they live up to his requirements it appears plain that it is gods purpose to suffer his saints to be thoroughly tried and tested so that they may prove their integrity and know the character of the foundation upon which they build many things have occurred during the last twelve months which are well adapted to peo pie it does not seem possible that those who do not live BO as to have the light of the holy ghost shining in their souls can escape doubts and fears concerning the work of god so many things have occurred which are entirely different to preconceived notions as to the course that would be taken in building up zion that each one needs to have a knowledge for himself to clearly understand that god is leading us in the path which we are now pursuing to some who are inclined to despond and to take a gloomy view of affairs the ship zion may perhaps appear to be drifting away from its old moorings because things are being done or move ments consented to which to their eyes us and to the work of god UNJUST CRITICISM there has always been a few among us who have been filled with evil forebodings bo dings and who have failed to see the wisdom 0 god in the steps which his people have been led to take they have questioned and found fault with the counsel that hag been given and the measures which have been adopted and have asserted abc revelation had ceased and the saints were no longer guided by men to whom god made known his will the prophet joseph during hia life k timo did not escape the criticism and censure of this class he was often accused of being a fallen prophet and of leading the church astray during the lone presidency of president brigham oung the same charges were made and many apostatized be causo they believed as ahoy stated that he was no longer led by the lord experience has proved that in all such cases those who mako these accusations cusat ions aro themselves in the dark but the faithful people those who have lived strictly in accordance with their profession as saints and with the requirements of the gospel have not been assailed by doubts of this character there might bo many things which they could not clearly understand the reasons for which might not be fully apparent to them at the time but possessing the spirit of god and being led by it they trusted in the lord and felt satisfied to leave the management of his king dom and its affairs to his supreme wisdom time developed to their minds the correctness of the course which the church had been led to adopt this has occurred so frequently in our career that tho instances will readily suggest themselves to those familiar with our history in this way however the faith of the people has been constantly tested THE ANOINTING THE SAINTS HAVE RECEIVED the apostalo john in speaking to the saints in his day said but the anointing which yo have received of him arideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing tea cheth you of all things and is truth and is no lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him the saints in our day have received this same anointing and they should be in a position to not bo dependant upon man to teach and tell them that is right they have had a flood of instruction given to them in days that are past this instruction st has covered the entire policy of building up the kingdom of god on the earth of this continued instruction they havo been to a great extent deprived of late it has appeared to be the design of providence that they should be left to show to the heavens to each other and to the world whether the truths they have boon taught have had the proper effect upon them or not whether when left to a certain extent to themselves they will bo governed in their daily lives and acts by principle principle to tho truth of which testimony has been borne by the holy ghost or by the spirit and customs of babylon by which they are surrounded but from which they are supposed to be gathered out NECESSITY OF SELF examination the present is an ti me j for each of the church to m bulge in self examination to measure his conduct and life in the full light of the heavenly principles revealed to us ours is no ordinary calling great opportunities and privileges have been bestowed upon us to us as a people has been entrusted the grand and glorious labor of laying the foundation of the kingdom of god upon the earth every act of our lives should be performed with this in view nothing should bo done by any one calling himself a latter day saint that will conflict with the policy which god has announced as proper to be adopted in establishing that kingdom in this connection there are questions which each one should ask himself do I 1 in all my words and influence and in all the transactions of my life constantly keep before me the advancement and prosperity of the zion of god as the farat and most important consideration do I 1 through covetousness or a desire for personal profit and advantage depart from the line of conduct which god through his spirit and the teachings of his servants has said his saints should follow do I 1 by my words and acts set such on example before my family that my chil dren will grow up to manhood and womanhood fully imbued with a lovo of zion and with an understanding of the principles upon which zion aiu be built up many more questions of a similar character each one can ask himself in the process of self examination if these can be answered correctly there need be no fears indulged in concerning the effect of the edmunds tucker law tho confiscation suits the state movement the boom as it is called or adopted either in favor of or against the zion of god respecting all these movements about which there is more or less agitation and concern and perhaps excitement there need be no fears if the latter day saints will only be true to the covenants they have made with their god and strictly carry out the principles which he has told us must govern us in the building up of his aion OF forgetting COVENANTS if however how evor we forget our covenants and depart from and disregard the teachings which ho has given us then be assured latter day saints our position is full of peril to us i gods purposes will not be thwarted but we shall be scourged urged and those who persist in this course will be rejected and be deprived of all share in the blessings promised to zion where those professing to bo latter day saints and flagrantly act in contravention of the counsels which he has given us then we have cause to fear and the plots of the wicked against us joined by the foolish disobedience and rebellion of professed saints become a serious menace to the peace prosperity and progress of praying the lord to endow every officer of the church who desires to magnify his calling with every |