Show at the li conference interesting REMARKS apostle john henry smith and heber J arant were in attendance the Y M SI 1 A seail annual conference opened last sunday morning in the new stake tabernacle with a good attendance aho different associations of the stake were well represented on tha stand by presidents and other cers and apostles john henry smith r and heber J grant were also in attendance the choir under the directorship of prof II 11 E Gil to the man that communed with Jehovah etc operine prayer oy counselor J B keeber the choir sang hark listen to the etc kodney abadeer CB adeer was the first speaker we are all of us no doubt willing to do that which will tend to our own improvement and of those around us we desire to prepare ourselves that we may occupy an honorable position in the world and in the kingdom of god we have organized for this purpose and we are laboring to this end ve have been organized but a short time but we consider that these associations have been organized permanently it is not only a labor of a few months but we have enlisted for the entire campaign we would a soon think of disbanding the sunday schools as the young peonies associations the young people hae presented before them the doctrine ot life and salvation we find by experience peri ence that although we may have a good understanding in relation 10 the plan of life and salvation and our iuda ments may be w ell termed in relation to these principles but it is a difficult matter to explain these principles before a congregation it requires years of experience peri ence before we occupy this position with any degree of assurance or confidence it is true that it matters little what we may say as long as what we do say is prompted by the spirit of god when it is prompted by the spirit of it will be music in the ears of tho latter day saints the speaker related a personal incident corro bating liis remarKS if we never undertook to stand upon our feet to advocate the principles of the gospel we would be throwing away one of the most excellent opportunities given to young men that mau who can express his sentiments consistently id a public gathering baa always been looked upon as a power in the community I 1 sometimes think alie lord has somewhat equalized matters by giving to the world a greater degree of oratory but to ua lie has given that greatest of all blessings his holy ghost god has never forsaken his people when we lie down at night and when we arise in the morning we should remember that gods spirit is with us when trials and difficulties beset us he will not forsake us it has always been my experience that prosperity and favorable have always iad us to forget god it would be better that we should never forget the service of ane lord than that we should forc et him and should he driven back by means of oppression and persecution there are some who say that it sary that man should sin in order that gods saving power might be exercised A more damnable doctrine was never taught than that it was necessary for man to sin in order that he might be sayed instead of bewailing because we are poor miserable sinners it would be better for us to hold up our heads repent of our sins and resolee within our hearts to sin no more if we as young men realize our positions we have no time to idle away or waste in a frivolous manner I 1 feel safe in promising you young men who seek for public favor that if you prepare and qualify yourselves you will receive the confidence and trust of the community it is well that we prepare ourselves that we may occupy positions of trust but you cannot perform a successful mission simply because your fathers und mothers knew the gospel was true or occupied public positions of trust you must know and work for yourselves that man or woman who aas a liying testimony in their heart in relation to the gospel is the only one who is safe there are men in the church ho have a testimony they know that joseph smith was a prophet of god and that he was called upon to establish this church with the death of the prophet joseph their faith seemed tu wither away others can go a alep further to brigham young and then away we have an active over living testimony of the work ot god that 13 the only safo nacny the choir sang say have you heard etc apostle john aenry smith opened his reta arks by quoting the words of one of the inspired waiters he who loes not provide for his own is worse than the infidel and has already denied ali laith the mutual improved ent associations were organized for the purpose of providing for our own idle aesa begega insubordination iosub or di nation begets crime and crime begets unhappiness the idea of establishing these associations was to furnish the young for irom the ordinary food which they were ar customer to re ceiva it is said that he who makes a spear of grass to grow where it did not grow before is a benefactor of mankind he who causes a new thought to spring up in the human mind benefits mankind more than the man who causes a spear of grass to grow when I 1 sense the work of that man who has passed behind the veil and alio established these organizations I 1 feel to say that he is indeed blessed when we look at the great work before ua and what preparations are necessary we may eay that through a judicious jadi cious distribution trib ution of the waters we may have caused a blade of grass ta erow but through the works of this mutual improvement association many thoughts have been taught to crow in the human mind the day school is a school of letters but in these associations the young people are taught the truo spirit of the dospel they are taught to weave alie great fabric of life thui is endless in these we may possibly not have succeeded as wo should have done but if we have taught one young man to think if we have taught one man to cease the use of tobacco or intoxicants if we have taught him to cease one evil habit a great good has been done all can not be accomplished in a day if we can plant in young people a love of home a lova of god the object of the improvement is accomplished the boora of the saloons and dens of vice will be closed we are placed in this great school of life that we may be educated in his work and gems of truth planted in our hearts that we my be fit ornaments in ilia kingdom the choir sang an anthem benediction was pronounced bv president david john AFTERNOON stake secretary J D dixon read the semiannual semi annual report of the stake assyia tion showing number of associations 26 members 1270 libraries IS yol umes 2037 value of libraries visits si homo missionaries 41 missionaries sion aries abroad 28 total number of exercises 2638 the general and stake officers of the is were sustained by the congregation gre gation elder B addressed the congregation gre gation tho work of mutual improvement is in my estimation a most glorious work advancement must be made by self effort A teacher can do noc liing tor a sluggish scholar look over the history of the world those men who have taught themselves who havo struggled along by close application to their work are those who have won success we as members of the assoni aaion are not only improving ourselves by our own self ellort but we are assisting others to improve thus alie associations were called not improvement associations but mutual improvement associations over one half of the young men of this stake belong to this association now what is the duty of these n embers in addition to gaining knowledge thema elyes it i to get these other young men to join that they may also prepare themselves for their lifes work the very spirit ot advancement is the spirit of the gospel in order to live the principles of our gospel we must improve we must know and we must live the principles of the gospel it is our duty to improve to grow and to advance apostle heber J grant was interested in the work of mutual improvement the testimony borne by brother morgan who had charge of the southern states mission and brother smith who had charge of alie european mission is that the members of the mutual improvement associations make the beat mis sion aries the work of these associations is to prepare and fit young men to go out into the world and preach the gospel the oftener the young men stand up in the associations and bear testimonies the easier it is for them to stand up in the world and preach the gospel I 1 believe the will power of man find the determination to succeed makes a much better record in this life than simply the possession of talents the young man who makes up his mind that he is going to prepare himself to declare the gospel to a fallen world will make a success many men who have been scorned and ridiculed have climbed to positions of eminence the history ot lord beaconsfield Beacons field daniel webster and others bear out this fact the great trouble is that too many people go through life like children they let some one else do their thinking for them in every position that we are placed in we shouble seek to do the very best in that position that we possible can it is the duty of every farmer to get the very best possible crop from hia farm it is his to take the bast care of bis machinery next to the foundation stone of securing a testimony test imong of the truth of the gospel is an ambition to be and do something in the world the testimonies lesti monies which men receive of the divinity of the work of god will only benefit them in as much as they work and make use of that knowledge there is no latter day saints who faithfully discharges the duties resting upon him who will bo dependent upon alie president of the church upon the apostles or upon the president of his stake for the spirit at god our ability will grow as we exert the abilities god has given us the speaker related several incidents showing how perseverance per will always win success apostle john henry smith felt to endorse alie good instructions of the previous speakers sp practical religion is a religion that will not fail theoretical religion is a myth and will not stand no matter what views people may entertain ter tain without practical results based on faith religion is a failure devotion to any cause and application of the mind in that direction will bring success when we look at the characters of men whose names are written among the bright stars of earth they are found to be persevering they have chimed step by step have struggled against until they have reach ed the top whenever man enrages in the work of god the joy that wells up in his heart cannot be told he may feel at times that he is looked down upon and despised but as the work of god rolls onward the joy that flows from his libart no tongue can tell superintendent G H brimhall made a few alsing remarks he was thankful for the good time the young people bad spent together the remarks made seem to point in one general direction thai direction may be expressed by tho words of the hymn know this that every soul is free to choose his life and what hell be the choir sang lovely deseret col fairest star benediction was pronounced by president A 0 smoot |