Show THE LAND OF ZION AN I 1 DISCOURSE fi president gales remarks on hit duties of a saint the usual Sabbat li services of the glorch of jesus chnat of battor day held in tho meetinghouse meeting house on sunday afternoon at 2 pres A 0 sinott presiding tho choir sang 0 my father thou that dwell est in the high aud glorious place prayer was offered by bishop tanner the choir sang 0 lord of hosts w e invoke thy spirit mot mo t daine the sacrament was administered by alie bishopric of the second ward JACOB GATES alluded to alio object of the sacrament and stated that it as a subject that in our best interests the things of this life are insignificant indeed compared with tho aches ol 01 eternity which god has prepared pie pared foi those who loe and servo him the tenant cotenant co of tho gospel into tho hereafter and of that glory that encircles the throne of god tho few years we aro permitted to spend here are as a drop in the bucket compared with the grand and bendles which wo will be permitted to enjoy if 0 are faithful hence when we aie called to this existence realizing that wo have spent ches of usefulness here we will b able to shout 0 death where is th sting 0 grave whore is thy victory t if must bo a very condition for people to be in who when this life drabb to an end canno help but exclaim the summer ia pat the harvest is ended and m saved even to reflect upon this condition is painful saying nothing of being placed in that position wo should be par takers of all that is promised by our fataei and if wo do not it shows wi hae at somo time erred yet wac should not think we aro to partake oi all the blessings at once the scrip tures teach us and we can see it is not so in the life of our lord and savior jesus christ he did no partake of a fullness of tho blessing at once but little by little we deec not then be discouraged if we do not receive all these blessings at the ainu desire them but labor earnestly and servo the lord oar god with dil and steadfastness and they will como tho theme of salvation extends beyond every other it is anchor of hope that reaches i within the vail wo know tha the promises god has vouchsafes unto us will not be broken and con if we abado by tho halings and tho teachings of our father n heaven we need not fear but that oui deliverance is nigh in order to bi saviors upon mount afon we hac first to sai e ourselves and then see what we can do to save those who have passed ben looking for miny ages for this day to como wo have got to open th prison doors and let the light of sal aaion dawn upon thorn it would bo but very little satisfaction to us it after having fought the good fight oi faith we should lind ourselves alom in our fathers prosanto pro sanco if wo an going to be saviors upon mount zion we have got to do a work for oui dead relatives and friends those who aro and havo been slumbering in th dust for ages wo are becoming such a great power in tho land that min of tha various denominations are beginning to look upon u with wonder an ensign has been raised in the tops of tho which all nations are looking with bewildering eyes kings and princes are beginning to reflect upon this work which god has established inasmuch as we ara called to take part in this great work let us be sure that the name of a latter day saint to us is not as a bounding brass and a tinkling let us magnify our positions and seo that our actions correspond our professions that wo ariy bo saints indeed wo have the testimony eliat god lives wo dont have to go to the bible or any othor book to aind tins out we have the direct assurance from god of thi fact joseph smith and sidney rigdon saw our father and they have left us their testimony that god lives consequently wo have much reason to rejoice and to paraiso the lord ii wo have become recipients of the blessings of jehovah we should be his saints not only in profession bul also in good works and in this dav we liola to bring to pass alie pei of jehovah knowledge is broughal to light by the spirit of god and i is our privilege to enjoy this spirit and obtain all the knowledge that pertains to the kingdom of god ELDER SIMPSON said the gospel had boon sounded ia the cars of the human family for many years dating hack to the days of father adam and mother evo and yet it is not understood by the people tho priesthood connected with it is alie power by which this eartle and all the earths have been created it ia the power that secures to us the blessings of celestial gefory and eternal life it is the power that pertains to everything both in this earth under the earth and in the heavens above this power ia not understood by more casual observation it requires careful and thoughtful attention there aro many individuals who claim to bo latter day saints who understand very little oi the gospel or its duties who do not understand the priesthood of almighty god A teacher amny visit them once in a while and sound their feelings and pass them malonff but after a while there comos a period u heir lives whoa they are brought t he test as the said sounded t the very depths there ere who to all intents and purposes are heroes men who have been of lie very core who have survives tribulation and persecution these individuals are classed among the martyrs as men who have suffered all the indignities that could possibly be heaped upon them ending with death such will attain the highest decree of glory and by their good words willbe glorified those are the characters who will be aund among the chosen ones will there be room for others beside them such as those who have not done so well who have not served their god as they should have done there are many degrees ol 01 glory there ia the celestial the ter bestial and the and as one star differs from another star in glory so will it bo in the resurrection but to him who overcomes as jesus overcame to him will be given the glories of the celestial kingdom can yon sit in judgment upon yourselves ana judge righteously if you can happy are you if you cannot then your brethren will have to judge you wo have come from the various nations of the earth to zion was it an accident in us coming by no means we had a motive in coming and that motive was to serve but 1 have sometimes thought found people who have been ben several years neglecting the requirements of the gospel and grasping after the things of this life that the oad forgotten the object for which hoy had come zion used to be considered the place where the pure in heart dwelt whose heavenly messengers appeared and ministered 11 chis used to be the case whai is the reason that it is not die case today to day Is this really he land of zion to us have we by our conduct here proven to our trod chat aliis is indeed the land of f such is the case we are a happy people if such is not the case WL are behind our privileges we talk about the earth being redeemed and sanctified by what means will this oe brought about by the same menus that man redeems and sancti lios himself and no other we are a long way from the enjoyment of that peace and blessing which is promised chis earth and gods people on all hands the saints are found bickering slandering faultfinding and speaking avil of each other and in consequence ivo aie holding back the blessings oi jehovah the world wants to got iway from under the guidance ol 01 grod and in some instances it seems AS though the saints are of anis disposition they seem to say touch me not in my temporal affairs my judgment is as good as yours ainaly but the same power that buides you in your spiritual affairs hould guide you in your temporal matters a wife or a abild who cannot sanctify them to his god mark me they will pass iway from his hands and he will lose diem the latter day saint who does not come up in the morning of she first resurrection will forfeit his ol 01 easing and his possessions there ire some who will be found among liars adulterers and efa in this life they professed to be faints and mingled with the prophets and apostles of the lord let ho people say tather I 1 am thy son lead me in the paths of salvation and if they are sincere god will oless them Is there any humiliation in this not at all look at the life of jesua and we will find him the ery embodiment of humility and obedience saying to his people both jn this and the eastern continent my father told me to tell you this md 1 I do nothing but what I 1 saw jay father do the holy ghost is riven to the people by which the deity is represented what is the the spirit of god to lay it is that concerning jesus the holy one he who was cradled in a manger who was put to death in oho flesh and who was resurrected by he power of god and lot me here ell you that the man who is following his file leaders is treading the road that loads to exaltation but he aho is walking in his own track is persuing per suing a path that will lead to dark aasi take the case of brigham and heber and jedediah and other faith ful men they did not pursue a con arary road to that trod by joseph and hyrum but walked in their footsteps anu consequently were blessed abundantly of the lord while those men who sought to build up themselves and follow actor their own desires camo to naught and so it has been in every other dispensation sustain ahe president of your stake sustain he bishop of your ward sustain the president of your quorum and pray for the spirit of god to rest upon them to bless them in the arduous duties they have to perform PRESIDENT A 0 SMOOT referred to his being at the dedication oi cho manti complo thero was a large concourse of leopla there and the speaker had never enjoyed u better fanno in his life nor had ho ever been in a more beautiful structure this stake was very liberally represented there being over pomplo at the dedication havo been pleased it all from this stoke had been there tn alio wonderful manifesta eions of tho spirit of god I 1 bear testimony that god has accepted of the dedication and has blessed those who have built it by their substance it will cost when finished over a million dollars and it has been erected by the counties south of prove the county of sanpete alone whose taxes are not 20 per cent of this county contributed a quarter of a million of means tb build tae temple and yet besides have erected a very nice commodious tabernacle I 1 am certain the lord will bloss them and increase their means and substance a hundred fold I 1 could not help thinking when in the sanpete tabernacle that if the lord would commence us a temple on this block we would then fini then I 1 cannot say whether we would or not when tho ibis kops their counselors and the priesthood and alie people get ready to finish the taver acle we will go ahead with the work detoro dosing my I 1 would all upon the people to offer up their prayers to the lord in behalf of epostle Erastus Snow who low the choir sang the anthem alpha ind omega and benediction was pronounced by president david john |