Show = PrOpllots P 0 l SS oors e and Rovolators e 1 o s D Dune Delivered at tho Cnolm Slake Quarterly Conforonoe Logan Sunday October 30 1803 by PRESIDENT JOSEPH F SMITH r KCraRTKU BY ARTHUR WIN ii = = = = president George Q Cannon this morning expressed his feeling at the IN ught of being called a prophet a and being sus uerend a reelator i ed such by the vote of the people A i ur various conferences and how the 0 oral man shrank from the respond r Involved In this great calling Here tested very clearly my own thoughts lleellnz 1 In relation to this subject i r i on rclectlon I lake some consol p i n to myself In the tact that I am only nc among many 5 ho are called to this Mi calling We must remember that i mule there are but few upon whom Is I nd 1 the responsibility of revealing to 11 people by tho Inspiration of the flighty the word of the Lord for the tatting up uf Zion cl Illcomprc I read correctly the spirit ot this work It n that olho receive the spirit of the uotpel In their hearts are prophets ers and rcvclators In a certain sense rot lo give the word of the Lord to the people for their government I and dlrec t but to receive the same for their on i guidance and knowledge of the c i itrme that llt Is ol God it I is Mr to suppose that this large Mention or those of them who I iii to be members of the Church of 11 Christ of Iatter day Saints have nited the testimony of Jesus Christ il 1 in have not wo need to become con tried that I we may receive the Holy l tart which testifies of the Father I and uf the Son which Is the testimony of tt us Christ It Is I laid In the scrip > re that the testimony of Jesus Is the suit of prophecy If therefore men of women have received the testimony I ol Jesus then they I have received the spirit of prophecy r and vl If they have ret re-t need the spirit of prophecy and excr i on Hut spirit yf only In the discharge I their personal duty and for their own uul nce then they are prophets and lophetcsies I The possession of thin ttuuwmy ot Jesus Christ and the spirit prophecy constitutes man a prophet aster and revelator No man can bo I prophet a seer or a rcvilalor In the line ease unless he lau received the testimony I of Jesus Christ which Is JI hll lIc11c the spit of Implied Hence I lake some consolation to myself In knowing that I only bar my portion ol this responsibility res-ponsibility w Ill many others I see be I re me a host of men and women who mould be as much prophets seers and rvelators in their I spheres I and callings r a d for the purpose of their on guile = = = once In the path of truth ns President WooJrulf I or resident Cinnon or as I was the Ironhet I Joseph hmllh I or any other n of God that has ever stood upon the earth Of course there Is n distinction hat should be understood on this point President Woodruff 11 called I lo be a prophet seer and revel eili ator to ol the whole Church Vow and I are not oiled to act In this capacity lint we are a icolnbel the sons and daughters of God and should have the testimony of Jesus In our hearts and this constitute prophets and seers for when we have the Stunt of dil w e can see the truth and comprehend Ills purposes pur-poses by the Inspiration of the spirit I I fthl i I that Is within us And every man and woman In the household l of Mill If faithful as much entitled lo the posses lion of that spirit as Is President Wood lull One ol old said Would God lint all the Lords people were prophet Jnnd Hint the lord would put His spirit upon them I ulln fxhoiling tine saints to seek after tile gifts ol the Gospel until allow 1 after chiiily and desire spiritual spiri-tual gifts but rather that ye may prophesy pro-phesy I If a man has the spirit of prophesy from Jon he Is I a prophet Not that he Is thereby called to prophesy to the whole Church not that he Is necessarily nec-essarily I called as a lawgiver I unto 1I1 tine Church but he Is i called lobes child I of God and to partake the principles of light Intelligence wlidom and knowledge knowl-edge which come through revelation Jc filI II from God lo man Ills right that everyman every-man and every woman should know of the doctrine fur himself and hernell and Inasmuch as we may all enjoy this spirit and If we have lin testimony in our hearts llhllh we are Inspired of the I I Lord nnd me prophets unheimurr 1 wnen we enter Into the sacred places that the Lord has Instituted Insti-tuted for us In this peniatloii I mid receive re-ceive certain I ordinance and blessings I that God has ordained for such as pro worthy we not only receive the gift of I the li Holy Ghost the rl testimony I of rgJ Jesus Chrlstwhlch Is the spirit ol prophecy In our hearts but we become the Lords anointed t one horn 1 rests great res eon lrr le el r sibihty tr whom the Lord 1 will require re-quire sod uprightness faithfulness I Justice and virtue and honesty charity purity of Heart and of life and all the gifts and graces Hut pertain lo the Gospel So that It Is not such a terrible thought that one should be called a prophetnnd that we should have I this responsibility devolving upon us Yet It l is n omen sacred thought and while It may be regarded re-garded as a ulentnn common unto all who receive the Gospel Its prevalence does not diminish the individual responsibility respon-sibility of those who receive It Il Is I Just as sacred as though hut one or two possessed You sustain the Presidency of the Church and the Twelve Apostles In the conlcrcnces ns prophetveers and revelators That they may magnify this calling ruperty they should Indeed be most hlthful before our Father for In thus being sustained they are called not only to be revelalors to receive truth Inspiration from the Almighty for their own guidance but also as general gen-eral officers 01 the Church for the guidance guid-ance and Irntruclion I of the people of tool Hence l this Is I n requirement above that which Is placed upon the I people at large I and the responsibility i Is Increased I I upon Individuals as they are called and appointed to certain positions In the Priesthood I Hut the I principle I is no more sacred in their keeping than should be In > ours Ills I nu more direct from God lo them than It should l be to you It Is not necessary that they should hold It ren rnl rn more sacred In their hearts than I you should hold It sacred In your hearts It is I written Hessed and holy Is he that bath part hi the tint resurrection on such Into second death hath no power but they shall be priests of God and Ills I Christ and shall reign I with I lint I a thousand years Who I li It I In the kingdom of God that Is not called to be a priest or a priestess In holiness In I purity 1 of life 1 In devotion to God and In all l the I 1Ln and blessings of 1 the Gospel Ye me all called unto talvi I lion unto exaltation and unto the gift of denial life and lo obtain heavenly dominion power and glory This con sillulM the r ol pileslly I calling i unto which the Saints of God ore called Should we not therefore look carefully to our Oen3 ecra conduct to see whether we are worthy I 10 receive the hlesemgs Ihal hive been promised le upon our heads and that It II our privilege to receive through being adopted Into the family of our Palmer I I resident Woodruff has been telling us that tint spirit which prompts to do good Is of God while that spirit which prompts to du evil Is not of God but of that evil one Where we discover Ithln ourselves a disposition tu tike advantage advan-tage of our neighbor to be unforgiving toward our brother or toward any mm we may know lhat that is not of Gal Ills not the spirit that those who are ilr II become C J IIN G entitled lo become priests unto God should have Ol the other hand when J we have a spirit of charily I In our hearts prompting us lo be merciful I forgiving ciurmtahle I = and charitable we may know thai we have the spirit of the Lord and not the spirit of the evil one lor the spirit of the evil one does not prompt la charitable deeds nor promote feelings of love and forgiveness It Is the duly ol the Litter day balms who should be prophets seers and revelalors tu live so that they shall know the truth when they hear It lint they shall be able Jude between good ant evil that none need uy to IMcin Know J the Lord for nil shall know Him from the lent lo the greatest great-est all being prophets and seers Inspired In-spired of Jro This Is the gnat work that lies beloio us as I understand it The Lord has called together from the nations of the earth as was shown lo the Anodic John upon the Isle uf Iatmos The voice of the angel crying Collie out of her my people that > e be pittakers ol her sins and Ihate receive not f her nWgursr Come out of what tol Out of Ilab > lon We have been trying to come out of Ilabylon The Lord by the hand of our enemies drove some of us out In the beginning and planted our heel here and said to us through His servants Abide here and prosper I will bs the mil I for ouriukeand mike It fruitful Here as the Prophet llrigharn said no will build up a country and also n temple These were promises made to the Latter day Saints 1 I hnl Hut since we have been out here we hive not dl I magnified our privileges as prophet 1 eer s and OS J der hH revelators I I It have dealt deceitfully anil foolishly and have Mini imo the waye and limn farhions of Babylon This Is I to be regretted because it hinders the progress of the work of thi Lord It puts on the lay of Gods power It prolongs the work that we are engaged In Hut us one Is possible for the sins ol the people lo put off the day of Gods power and the judgm of the Almighty 1 f Why did not ions i amp which 1 went up by time comnnndmenl ol 1 the Almighty In 18M I redeem hull at that time > The Lord ells in wine ellel hold I Mr unto you intr > i f r the Inuiitmttoni I of T mr ptopl hr spa n vetoes Inc I the Church unit not IndlMi i i i might hare been rtdtwmed cvtn now tt they hara not learned to bs otedlent u il h r thing which I require at iMr band lent I I t full if fall f-all manner em eeli n4 do not Imps ol I their lulnuncc u Ixcomclh S loli t ih over i and saluted among thm anil 1 are no united acv cording lo the aches Mqutffd tiv re ter of the celestial klnf I tan and lass einno is I tmlll up satin II n liv Itw Ir1selpleori4wnuhe l ttlntttl kingdom othcrolw I raenn i rr r + > r tier unlo myself and my pCp 1 n u i nois in listened until they bum sisal I a it u muil need bt by OM lhln > ohkh tli y IT I I TMfefor In cuawiiivnc 1 of UK t intertinii ol mv pmt il I w i nnlnt in iw dot rents hider should will for a I air conic for Ihf re I dmptlMi ol Zlon that thy ih m Ur miy bo pieiMml MHl tint my people n if IN taught man prl Klly and I hnee np r KT and boor move perfectly concennna tlir r In + y and the lr t throes shin h I f vi < > miner hoi 1150 Ids Md Covcnanb Set toy j iII > i-II was barely possible for thai Camp to go up to ZlolI at all fur the lord said that unless they should havr at least I ole hundred of the strength of Ills House they should not no anti they were only obi lo obtain sboul l two hundred dred Hut they did not fetitsmi I Zion II 11n because the Saints were nut prepared I Consequently the day for the iedemt > lion of t inn wts postponed until the tlmo should come when the people through the experiences they would IK a11Mlgh ocrI r r dl calletf tu pass through should I be prepared pre-pared fur thin redemption of 11111I mud for he budding tin lour I of God at tho center stake thereof Anil the day has not > cl come and no nun HI far in I know can foretell day or the hour the maid or tint year when the peiiiili 01 God haU be ready lo redeem ZOIl nnd buNd up the cooler itilii the Lord lac not resealed tuba no far as I know Hut 1 cin tell > on lu one sense when II will come 10 pass I I will not attempt point oul the day or the ear II will be In the due lime of the Lord when the people of God arere arvd togo I to-go luck and nut before Whetln r II be in this generation or In the next genera lion it marten not It will only lie when the people have prepared l tlicinelves tu do it by their failhlulneM and vhdt ence to the commands of God I prophesy pro-phesy lojou in the name ol the Iurd that when the latterday balnts hive prupve I thcimcUm lhrouiii iighleous ness to redeem 1lon they will iiccom pied that work and God will go with them No power will llwii be able to prevent them from accomplishing I that work nll for the lord has said II shall be done find It will be done In the due time of the Lord when 1 the people ore torjiu llr prepared lor II Hut when Fall I be prepared logo there Not whale I have I m my heart the love uf this world more than the love of Gud Not while habit I ponsesxd of that eli hneM nnd greed that would Induce me lo cling lo the world ur my Ioseeslues 1 In it at the sacrifice of principle or truth Hut when I am ready to nay lather nil that I hav emysuif Included Thine my time my substance everything lhat I possess Is on the altar to be used freely ngree able to Thy I holy INe and not my will but Thine be done then perhaps I I will he prepared lo go mil help to redeem Zion For Zion can only be built up bv the law thai God revenM for that purpose pur-pose which It the law of consecration not the law ol tithing The law of hill hog was Instituted because the people could nut abide the greater law If we could live up to the law of consecration then there would be no necessity for the law of tithing t because It wuuld o0 swallowed up In the grcatir Im The law of consecration requires all the low of tllhlng only requires onetenth of your increase annually If the hw of consecration were observed the Iord would have plenty In m l His nlorehou IIiA IrI tt f and could accomplish a vast treat more and none would lack All the energies and power of the people would I be concentrated con-centrated in the direction He chow I lle 1 people givlnc nil their I labor talent I and poMeoslons r required I for the accomplishment ac-complishment of the purpose of jod S iUh God purposes mule you Nut the purposes cf nun Then the people I would be converted the > would possess the spirit I of revelation and would l be prophets cries and revelators In very deed 1 They would l then know when God spoke I through Ills servants or lo I themselves directly by the voice of His Spirit They would have the l tll of discernmentof prophecy nl knowledge of Gill sod all virtue duelling In them and Ihelr whole hoeing would be full of light When the Lord spoke to them they would know His voice when He mode known ills will the would I not only know 1111 was llilI will il but would cheerfully subscribe to II 1 Here ould bo no division no contention no darkness dark-ness all wout I be clear and they would we ai thev are seen anu know as they I are known If we could onlv reach Iliu point If we could deal Juitly with each I other and not deceive I ourselves hy l vainly Imagining Hut we can deceive God If we could come to this standard nl indention In the truth oh I how ipilcklr would lima Lord open mire way lor IlK redemption of jour and tic building up I of the center > take thereof the election of that glorious house that hu linen promied should l IK built thereon there-on which the glory of God should rest and III which the Saints should have luinmunlon with the heavenly IIIMIS The loON I can loon smoutli the tough places and make the road clear fur the lla lourney of the people to the place of His I ihoice whenever they RIO read Hut w < are not vet prepared 1 fur it We heard to Jay from President Geo J Cannon that many hid appirmly iilMiidoned their f < uh for the healing of the Ark and placed their rot wholly in the doctors 11aeulknes comes tome of u < send l at once fur the doctor instead of adminlilerlng to lilt fink cienlslng lalth hi their l Uhalfnourithlng l I them I with wholesome food And mild herb as the law directs slut by the prayer of IUh and the anointing with nil liter may be healed a I by III power of I 81 trr they I are not appointed unto death and II they are appointed death that they iliAd iliA-d in the Lord Whllr lids lack ol faith prtvilli as It does this KI very great obstacle the way of our redeeming the waste plACe There was time not long ago when the people wire sorely tiled In certain directions Men hearts were w rune to the core because they were separates from their fimilies driven Into exile i > r dragged btlore unfriendly courts and convicted and Imprisoned for having done whit they believed to be a religious re-ligious duly Their wives werenaless I tried lo see their husbands thus cruelly treated Not only that but many of the wives themselves had to flee from borne with their little children and were sub eclcd to suffering and hardships before unknown to then risking Inn lives of themselves and their children They were aim tried when they were taken 1 prisoners and compelled I 10 bear wlbess against their loved 1 one or be charged with and punished for contempt or per jury The were sore trills l for the people > Many I IJn them ban to endure them and all r honor lo the men and women who were fallhfu they did en dure them and were true 10 their Integrity Integ-rity to Gal They dd not deny the faith thev were not driven from Inc Got pel nor from the church because of throe great trials that they had lo endure Now let us look at ourselves In another light Would all of these men and women who have endured these severe tests as patiently submit to II If the Lord slmulil now try them In their pockets Thvy stood the test of principle princi-ple when they fell that they wee persecute perse-cute and harassed fur conscience sake but suppose the Inl 1 should resfulte them now lo contribute their mean for the accomplishment of certain needful ends not directly benefiting themselves do > think they would IK able to stand I he I lest or would some of them say hili I have Is I my own and I propose to handle It to suit myself I Ate there any I puueMlnir ol that spirit among the I i Utlcr r tray iMiiita You would not need 1 fear soup much discernment lu find el that kind of 1 u iplrlt existing In tome ol those who have actually been tried and proven falllilul In that other great test Il Is lh1 11 lall aald 1 that the Lord will try us In all things that power shall be given Satan lo tempt us and to deceive even the very elect If It were possible It 1 LehovM h Iherefoie my brethren and sitters 10 look to ourselves turning the eye of scrutiny In upon our own souls I and tu ask ourselves 1 Am 1 1 preparing to help redeem Ion and to Inmild 1 towaste i 1 waste build up the watte places thereotf Am I shaping my conduct thai when the Lord I shall call upon the people lo do Ihli I will be one lint will be chosen lor the work 1 was very much tried In my feelings i when banished from my family for seven ears I served seven ears In banishment not in Idleness for i 1 found plenty to do though 1 was away 1 r rU 11 f Wt from home much of thai lime It was s very great trial tome but in all 01 III I i never had a feeling of doubt cross my 1tJ1 J mind I Of course T could I see the clouds uf darkness before me which looked Impenetrable and almost Interminable I Sid t not know when I the I rI would come fur the Iml I did not show It unto me If I had known In the beginning how far olf the end was I mlelit per I hap have acted unwisely I slut He withheld the vision of the end from my mind nod I saw II not As to the fact however dIlh it the desired end llh wouh J come I never hid a doubt for I believed that God was able lo remove the clouds of darkness nnd to came the sunlight 01 heaven and of peace lo shine again upon the household of faith Yet grieved l when I heard of my brethren being haled to prison and my own lf imily and those ol my brethren driven from horn with their little ones In the dead vf winter lo seek shelter away from those who sought their hurl think I the Lori who civil me fortitude to cnduru It 1 and was very grateful lo Him and 10 my friends tor the lermimllan of that ordeal or-deal If the Lord had required me In go lo prison or to face the indignities that many of my brethren hid lo I da nol know how well my strength and my I patience might have held out I WM spared that test and I am thankful that It was so Hut hll I pray always that If I o1J C i rea lr should be brought lo the merest test It I would not shake my confidence In God nor weaken my faith In or love for Him And If lie wants the little meals I have I want to feel as though II belonged lo Him l for Ho l gave W to me If Item h fit to allow It to be destroyed or to be hikes from me by any means let me lay like lob of old The Lord glveth and the Lord takelli away blessed be the name ol lira lord I Iil Is the only true I feeling on tide suet that prophets lee nand n-and revelit IB should Lave May tiKLird blot and help you to magnify tiny calling unto which pout are called lo be w Unease of the Lord Jesus Having received In your hearts the Milrlt of prophecv prophesy I good for 7nun aid not evil r for i sure as the Lord I lives If you prophesy evil agilnit 1 1 rrvr Zion you will bv proven false prophets God has decree gom 1 lor Zlon lie ho determined that His work shall continue con-tinue Iti the earth and that Ills purposes shall beconsummMedand the man Hut prnpheules l ngiinst Ion will be proven a false prohet Therefore If you d < tire to be true prophets and eitrtbe the gills that are within you lei your prophecy pro-phecy be good for Zion lor the people of God for the honest heart and for the contrite and humble of all lands and climes that the Gospel inly bepreachtd unto them that they may be gathered t rn II 7 r i Into he fold and be saved with an ever lasting salvation In our Fathers king don Speak good Ihhmgs and speak no III Stol lalilifandonc backbiting lying and mUlllpl Ing the evils that may exist anlonl us Iromol good Speak or that sv hick Is j goo I and l pure Speak of f r t kO the coat qualities ot men Lei our minds dwell upon that which is good Seek for the spirit of righteousness of truth of meekness of love and of devotion devo-tion to Ih e work lint we are engaged In for It is I the continuance und will be the w Inding up I ol the greatest walk that was ever begun on the face of this earth and II will hu completed In tho due time ol the Lord I Those who are not faith fid will have lo bear the consequence nf their acts while those that are faithful rise and be exalted with It Their wives their husbands their rents r-ents and their children will be heirs In lime nnd throughout eternity and they Wle f II fr will have I kingdoms thrones principal He lowers 1 dominion and exaltation These are some of the blessings promIsed prom-Ised unto Gods peopleand no pow 1 er on earth I can hinder them from receiving I them except their own failure lo do Ills will May the lard help us therefore to be ftilhful U my prayer In the name of Jesus Amen |