Show The Duty of Prayer I namarUs Mado at the Oeflrnj Confnrno of the Church l In the Tabrnaop I 9lt Lake Olty Friday Ootobr 8th 1894 by ELDER JOHN HENRY SMITH ftEfORTID IV ARTHUR WIHTIX = = There are to tinny subject upon which an Cider If he can but enjoy the Inllucnce of the Holy Spirit may speak Hut unteu the promptings are direct to InmltU I difficult sometime to mk a relectlon Up to this point the Lord by tile Spirithas aided every one of our brethren tint have either prayed or ipjkcn tu ui at alto our brethren and suter who have given in tweet tltalnt of niuilc to gladden our heart The theme thus tar in IhU Conference I II I have been enabled to partake of the spirit ol the Conference has been a I telormatlon In our live curing our reives no far ai pouiblr and teeing to It that In the example we Ml among our I I frllovv creatures It thai be of that I character that no reflection ihall come I j tpon u < Uccaute we preach onielhing I tint He do not practice that when we orcupy a nation among the latterday Saints whether It be Iluldenl Apostle Patriarch Hliliop High I 1neit Seventy Llder or of the letter I 11111 hood or I whether perchance It be as mother of the sons and daughter of Zion each of us can look Into our own soul consider the circumstance In our ovvn homei the necessary reformation therein and seek In piudcncewiidom and judgment to overcome those bcnetmenti that are In our pathway and that hedge up our Influence Among the requirements laid upon the Latter day Saints by our ather I In heaven U the obligation attend to our pracrsto pray not alone In the family circle not alone to leach our children to pray but that they who have become conversant II lit the will ol our Fattier should retire to their secret places and In the humility ol their souls should ask Him the biter of all good to bestow upon them the faith the fortitude and the strength to overcome within themselves them-selves those things that He has pronounced pro-nounced Improper for us to say or to do lam 1 fearful that In tire midst of the excitements that attend us in our ex pcrlcnves many of us become unmindful unmind-ful of the responsibilities that attach to us In this respect Too frequently we go to our labors In the morning having failed to bow with our households arm return to our Fattier 1 III heaven gratitude that He I has permitted us to rest In peace f during the night torn fearful also that too many of us before we retire to that rest which Is so desirable after the labors and cares ol the day forget get don upon our knees and casting our ey cs back over the experience of the day ask our Father I to forgive us for the wrongs or for the mistiLes that HO may have committed and thank Him tint 1 le hn prcserv ed us and our households trout sickness and death Probably I there u greater inject of this among the Litter day baints than of any ol our other duties Yet it is il simple requirement require-ment for which there I intro outlay ot our worldly I beans and r only calls lor the simple expression of our gratitude to the Hung whom we reverence thanking Him that we have life that wo have families that wo have sortie knowledge of the truth thanking Him Hut upon us In the midst of our weaknesses have bon bestowed the rights of Ills 1rleithood and that ill Ills providence Hue can be but hllhlul the discharge of the duties that rest upon us we th ill stand nt lire latter day In the presence of the Living God the savlois ol the races I hG OIIlIlelf from Inch we marc sprung Hut II per iliance in the midst ol the cares temptations temp-tations and trials of lilo we become forgctlul ol the llcing who planted with nun that faith that earned Otto heave the hinds lil our Llrlh and 10 unite our des times with the latterday 1 bumm believing believ-ing I in the promises the lather and In ine hopes implrul by tine knowledge 01 Hit Gospel it we forget Him I and tease to Importune Him lor the aid ol Ills Holy Spirit and permit the cares that press upon us In the morning to shut us oil from the discharge of this responsibility responsi-bility or If pcrchanco uu J hurl ourselves I at the chose I of the day I worn and tired and to annoyed with things that have arisen during the day that wo dare not upon cur knees present ourselves before our Primer 1 wo shall find that step by sell as the days roll by this sacred re rres ll llc el quiremcnl l of our other will gronv to be unregarded by us until we permit ourselves lrl lu ft i selves to drift away entirely 1 urn wondering whether In lime nninist of this experience of ours our sisters ara as mindful In regard to this responsibility todiy as they were wont lobe In the Cohn of the past when I they were seem inhy I more dependent I upon the I goodiv 111 love and esteem of our lather man In I these limes when around them ire muter mute-r of HID comforts and ble16II1IS of tie I regard this requirement ns retting upon Ine Latter day Saints In the most nailed firm 1 that I It enters Into our very lives P > at lill i inline I source Jln spiritual I hie itself I and that in a little period of lime the rikkct of this requirement will shut Ihem oil brunt nccomplislilng the sweetest mission evee given Ia them I the 1 l hope ol becoming Indeed the tmllcr of tniir rice under limo laws aunt ordlninces Mills houte and In harmony with the roles that lie has given by which tine hr I ifte of the fithers ate lo be luiued to him children I and the hearts of the chil Iron to be turned to lliclr fathers My ol brethren and sister I line prlncl Pies of everlasting hnfit urn Indeed n liar niinloui In every respect The mail w ho Cimveo to pray nnd pour out to God the hoC If r n ol rlu rl dc J Mltlei 11 His own life ant the con Jitlona of his own soul Is taking n step 2Jdosll i sallli I oa r 11001 leads Inlet to ceaon lit I Xilvhi to ful nit nl thu obligation that rest upon him I In nonoriiij the primary laws given I tar I our pvernmentand f I by which I we may stand bee t lle o6 clr b ce before our fellow l men such as the words ol wisdom upon which the brethren have dwelt with luch telling I force and the payment of our tithes and offering Iet us reflect upon the great plan that has been presented I to ht tisTjy our Mister hImself Ire father Introducing Ills I Son and the Son directing the Introduction and spread nl this work and giving tithe ti-the ru rse and regulations principles 1 and doctrines by which ihr people of the I world mop near the truth and by which the hosts who have gone before halite justice and mercy of our ather shall liear the Gospel and shall receive or re Jeer as they elect having placed before them the principles ol evrrlaillng life so clearly and so distinctly that there can be no misunderstanding These my brHhren and sisters ore principles of eternal life They lay the axe Ft the root I of the tree hererureay your prayers i In honor e1 lielore God situ rl In honesty ol i heart Enter Ihe sacred precincts ol tIme ilaces dedicated to I Hi worship Feet 1 al you enter there Hut you have done I poor part In fulfilling every obligation There Is I no question in regard in the sacrednes of this work Our lather nniseii Introduced II lie I sent tins I Santo San-to see that they who should herald II hould know Ihaille I lived lo point out he way by which thecvllt of the work night be cured and that men should be uncut uu and redeemed by obedience to tow through the exercise of their agency And many of us are deceiving lurselves because forsooth we believe We can tamper with these laws neglect he fulfilment of these requirements and forget our prayers When He comes lo makeup HI Jewels such ones will discover that they are not among hem The road to repentance II i eve open to hire Litterday baints and III Is a good 1 time now lo sec to It that solar o s pomible their lives shall be spotless llicrciore I my brethren and sisters I II liri1 plead with jolt who stand at the heai if Ih house 1 oI be praying men I heed uth you my sisters who preside In the home in connection with your husband 10 be praying women I say lo you Ilia I am an absolute believer the doctrine hat no MID or daughter will ever tie lot from the house where Ihe father and mother bow to their God III Inhumllit and ask Him for Ills I aid and iesk 10 exhibit In their lives consistency and action in keeping with the prayers that they offer tint step by step they will move onward and should their son tr daughter I wander away for n season fronts the home they will corno back nnd by fireside te lew Ihe vvnere they were wont ho bow l wM remember In gratitude hal that fitherand that mother tiughi ther to lisp a prayer to their Maker am ought lo Instill Into them by cxampl everything tint tended to ennoble am make nun respected among his fellow as well as with His I ather 1 In leaven I My testimony to you my brethren and sisters Is that the instructions whlc I have hllcn from tIne lipsol 08 ser vants are the words of eternal truth 10 everyone that has listened lo them am should go lorlh from this assembly and create such a revolution In favor 01 everything that Is I good and pure and true that 1 condition would be brough about in which every man woman lId child would reioice We will rejoice when no longer the fumrs of whisk and tobacco are upon the breath ol our brethren We will rejoice In the victor of that man who can say I hold God and II Is laws In advance of a clgarcltr In advance of a drink ol liquor in advance ad-vance of n chow tobacco or in al vance ol any of those things which 110 his designated as Improper for us ho me Vie should 1 seek rbf every mean In our power lo lay these things aside and observe to keep Ills command merits May I the Lord bless I us with faith flay He bless us with I a proper comprchei r slon of Ihe doctrines we have espoused Above all may He bless us with thin moral courage to be what we decldei lie ould be when vv e entered lIne w ater of biptism arId received our confirm lion in Ills Church believing nnd sensIng sens-Ing by nbc witness Ho gave thai It wa true Amen |