OCR Text |
Show Our Present Duties, . ,. T.b.rrmo'.. lt Lk City. Sundoy. F.b-,W,'D,"V'r F.b-,W,'D,"V'r "u.rv Sod, IbBO, by ELDER ABRAHAM H. CANNON. ..tOUTBO tV AKT.IU. V.NTE.) lowethe goodly num-! " . 'nl ,KU" id .in iorv' ! ' k , .rich w' "",i",,cn ou' CM"V. , ponu.Po-.Pnh ponu.Po-.Pnh :: ' Sain 1 "'oml"'Ml IICoJ U.d not now .nd , lat.rpoK !""" to"".'"1'"- of ,he ,r,nt',,,e" J H. b "'': l-'voukno 11omJ1 become crcle .dSt,hml,'in,ccu, ' i, applicable to us .nd some- my juio "ou" our tn0Ut1"" jumpttu u.ith the Importance w.torpxi.ii or nf circled duty. MMdcd of story lold by the Mk,jd Roman churches. 11 run In ,; At Ibc lime Hie perntcuilons otnjioi so biiterly against Hw "'I t m youths sought ewape In a -uwi kly Alirr a lime ,"lwd mircifully peimilied t'leni lo .lukrp; and so deep and Ions was ilumbet that they did not waken j no huntireu year, had paused :n Iter wet. toud Irom their Ihey went (orih into the city of Ma, to which they belonged, and 3i! j Iher bruin to enquire of the opt U (here were ny Cliritln in , dty. -Chii.;Uo'" m the res-; res-; en, "any, we ire .11 Cln.ali.ins," .nd , ii ottcs ol it Ihey pointed oul the autitol cburcbe. surmounted by the -m, absrrin the wuriliip of God i c;ind u these youne men visited the ..swliol UtrniDK they found the prin- of the Cotpel there taught c-'.riai c-'.riai lo Ihe wriilen word. Tbejr .ui H iu popular to be Chrislians, jicad of sopopulsr, as it was when n bid themselves. Kmierora with crwrajtit, professors with their learn. the bumble workmen, were .icetn of the crosi and proteased dim-mi dim-mi ol Jtiu. For a lime Ihey greatly '.ccd ia the changed condition of -IV but at Ihey mingled among Ihe pie ihey found that while tile pro. Max. nre abundant, the Spirit of Ihe anl iu do! wiih them, ihe signs and lanh were not numleslrd among and wrioolully ihey rc-lired itoicave.wheie their prayers ntuved ai lo take tliem unto Himelf. I do tot know berause I have not wlhrienily long to compute con-" con-" nh what lliey were, whether J us dii lin, away from Ihe faith Ha duricienieU Hi. people of Ciod "'T dan; but I am led to believe, o oal I read, and ee, and hear, Kmere.wu we are guitig nilu numtcoiidiiion that prevailed when toum Den came foitli Irom Iheir . I myaell li there is amone . iutmrl., undiini(, unquench. ; fcjk h,eh w. hear wa. liunifel.1 L a ,"l " o( ,h Church. It ni ,CUM''1""1 n evidence of " to depend other than Uxin Uo5 air "'M"on ol Ihtir atck , ; m fl Uie ci. Now iL, ihr,1" ,hu"i'"u oi ua ht nl,"" people whoae fni.1 -'"laila and h,;1'"'' wl,en 'Had of u a fi,;, 1 l",t rcsrl. lOIYcnnm? t,1C,"u"ll'ICej1 loo 51"' '"oliattS ""I tht tM.7. ,u'IomoI power " 'key would l:tlLn,!,eChu";b. "'llhe anT, ""k he cause o br. UKd' 'Vii! be d d u -- loH ''""'"PaniuS Una yS" "'1 lo u,,'Ui'le ,,erce. fe;i,,ci:T"i''"i.i'p ?22te'5uihJ'?i:o,,,,a,o i Uml!," wn the 1 , . V, "e wu ,. Sdaaiiei- h." because In. J t ,;"S,r'"'K decei t in"11 ''Zy T "U """ ' umeiiiBe, !., " eem tonic 4 '"mra ,r.a , i "" n- ' when lotiR to tliit Gospel llie tlrk run be ht-alcd tmUy. I know that when luinnn Mkill I ptiwerkM, ii unucrevijl, (od ii nmr to ht ar and answer the ietition i f Hit children. I know Hint Hie gift of healing ia within Ihe wills o( men and wmt n here in the ileili, and thfy could exercise it if the people who appeal fur thrir help ami ministration a. arrvanU and hnndmatdeni of God were only iu a condition lo receive these hltwMnK Vet I would not my a word atcainM the use of the wisdom whit: h God (lives to ii. 1 dedtiht in aering men study the human organism, to Icjtrn it function, func-tion, to lie capable of rrlievintf pain, to ahist siiHcrititf tium;inity m thrir dii-tre'Hen; dii-tre'Hen; but 1 feci that our 1 Mem wlio s:uily tnrdicinc and who desire to hc-ipilre hc-ipilre skill in surnery ntiould be men of liih in God, dependent above every-lliinu every-lliinu else upon the assit ince which the Lot (7 in willing to itive to the learned and the akilllul m well as to the unearned un-earned ami awkward. V. t with all our IrarninK as physicians anil a surgeons, we have only cred the threshold of the scienre ol medicine. Nrw llieonrs are com i nvc into acceptance in the medi t.d world; new discoveries are being made, that put to shame the p-?cnt nntl the past learning of physicians. You who have followed thin prule.ion know the changes that have occurred; you know that new divrovcncH are occurring almost d-uly to relieve sullrr ing humanity. Why, there is a large body ol people in this country tod.iy who do not believe in tne useol medicine medi-cine nt all in relieving sirkne-.s and pain. The mm who instituted the system of osteopathy, as it iscalUd, was ridiculed when he first announced his belief th.it by manipulation disease could be cured, pain could he n lieved, and health and itrenv'ih he instituti-d; hut now he has a Inrgr fullou itir. Vnu know of the discoveries dis-coveries that Tastcur and l.dson and others have made; and now comes a new revelation to scientists and the medical fraternity the discovery where by a human skeleton, covered as it is with flonti, can be photographed, and surgeons will be able to examine diseased dis-eased hones or other parts ol th system sys-tem without uing the knife until it is known to he absolutely necessary, Thee things prompt me to remark that physicians and surgeons are only i upon the threshold of this great science I of hie; and the brrthren w.io undertake ! i this study and who wilt allow their studies lobe governed by the Spirit ot God, will become the discoverers of great truths yet unknown to men of science; lor Ihe Spirit ol God, that pass-etb pass-etb all human understanding, can reveal to you, my brethren, to you, my sisters, things that are hidden from the knowledge knowl-edge of men, notwithstanding their yeara ot study, of expeiiment and of invest. gatiun. And while we use skill, and wh.le we attempt to acquire skill and knowledge, it should at all times be controlled and governed by Ihe iidlucnce ol Ihe Spirit of God. If physicians come iutoniy home, 1 want to see men of faith, men who believe in God and in Mis power, men who can pray to Him, or women who can pray to Hun, wiih the assurance that their prayers will be heard and answered, men and women of huii l ity and of meekness.with a knowledge knowl-edge that every gift Ihey possess is Irom Gud, and that they uie responsible to Him for its proper use. Skill coupled with f-ith will prolong life. J believe that with the exercise of faith and the wisdom that God has given us we wi I be able lo establish a con dition ol things among this people that is not found in the world. There will be less death. People will live to the age of a tree, and will pass swjy peacefully peace-fully and without pain. The avert, ge age of man will be prolonged lar beyond be-yond its present limit, and there will be a lont?.llvril ram. A rura ,,f ......,U will be established in these mountains whose physical and intellectual strength will be ihe admiration ol the world. 1 see, loo, in the lack of love among the people a departure Irom Ihe early principle which governed the Latter-day Saints. uarreiings among the Saintsl Strife and con teu ions in ulmoai every ward, and certainly in every slake O' ion. (juarrels, too, which the arbitration arbitra-tion of men of God will not overcome. 1 1 Hiairels between mm bearing the high Priesthood men who aie kindred lo each other as well as those who are ouiy kindred in ihe Church, (juariels between Uniilics, that cannot be corrected; cor-rected; if ihey are apparently overcome, it is only the covering up of the fires that burn in the soul, corrupting and devastating those who eutcruiu the spirit whii li refills fiom this discord and stiile. Do you think Mich people can be true Latter-day Saints who with an outward show of lorgivenest and id rcrot. dilution still harbor in their souls the hulreds and the an im.silies which these tpiaireU have created They cannot can-not ei joy the Spirit cf God ns long as this condition of allairs continues. The advice that is given lo us in Ihe Doctrine and Covenants is so plain that none should tail to understand it, how our Oilleteuces are to be settled, how our (putreli are to be overcome. "U thy brother or sister uhVnd thee, thou shall take hun or her between him or her and thee alone; and if he or she confess, thou shult be reconcile J.' Such a act i lenient le-nient Latter-day Saints should seek to gam when any trouble comes between tliem atid their fellow-men; anil when trouble-, are settled in this way they are generally thoroughly, completely and eternally selllid. VVhete it is necessary i to bring in Hie services of a teacher or leachets, or the judgment of a bishop's court or a high council, it Is seldom indeed in-deed 1 do nut know ol a single instance wluie there hns been complete harmony and good leebiu re-Rsiabhihed between the tmaireling panics. Weol all people upon the face of the earth should be filled with that love of God which cannot be overcome by the ai ts ol men. even thougu these acts are injurious lo us. We should tie able to say when wrong la done u, "The Lord judge between me and thee;'1 and from our hearts there should be crushed out cverv icellng of bitterness and hatred; tor ll we allow spark tbsregf to r. mnin, it will rankle and It will grow as the weed, choking out the gimil seed and preventing the development of the power of the Spirit of God within us. 1 say there is love the love of the Gcs-pel Gcs-pel lacking anion this people. I wonder how many of us would todnv do as the early Sninta did when they were dilven from Nmivoo and only a lew people peo-ple were possessed of the means to transport themselves loa place ol sa'ety. I-.very mn covenanted tie fore Gud that he would not rest nor would he withhold his means until every soul had twin gathen il from out that city, winch had been attacked by the mob; and in matching acro these weary plains there was no thought on Hi- part ol the people to neglect their poor hretnren and sisters who were if't behind waiting wait-ing the tune ot deliverance. How many ol us would do this today if we were driven tunce, or if the occasion aio e tor the sacrifice of time and comiort and property for the good of our fellow-men? 1 fear the trial would be greater than any we have yet encouuie red in this Church, because of the increase ot wealth among us and its -I was going to say its unjust division; I will not say that, but its nnfipul division among the Iiitcr-day Saints a condition wlmh will not be pleasing loG d when His work is established in i:s powi r and in its glory in the latter days; tor He has foreshadowed in the revelations wh til He has ejven to us, that there must come time when this inequality, thine hills and hollows among the people le- j cause of wealth, cannot exist; they must be equal in all things, whether they be temporal or spiritual. It is then I look for one of the greatest trials the people have ever met. And do you thn k it will come about from our own inclination, inclina-tion, regurdlcss ol the manipulations of God concerning the lawi 1 do not expect ex-pect it, because We luve made the ctl rt to establish ihe principle of equality among us and have been unsuccessful in it, and we rest under the condrinna lion, to some extent, of disobrdieiice; but it will come around in such a way that we will be glad to see the law established.and Ihe people of the nation and Ihe earth, seeing its perfect worn ingst will rejoice that there will be a place upon the earth where thecornlut between the rich and the poor dues not exist, and where there w ill he no idk ness nor paupers; where peace wdl reign, even ihe pence of heaven, when thn whole world otherwise will be in confusion, dKrurd and strile, and men's hearts wil lad them for lear, and their eyes will cast about to find a place ol refuge nnd of safety from the troubles that alllict the hum m family. That day is coming, and it is nearer than the Ijittcr-day Saints es'imute. Those who have the love ol Ihe Gospel in tiicir souls will find no trial in this new condition con-dition of things. Those who observe Ihe greatest and the second greatest commandments as enunciated by the Savior will hud no dilliculty in meeting ihese requirements they will love God with all tiieir hearts and their neighbors as themselves. Do you think it would be any trial lor me to give my brother a half or the whole of my property if 1 loved him as mysell? There would be no trial whatever in it. ilut the selfishness selfish-ness of mortality, the covetous ness ol this fallen estate, clings to me and clings to each one ot us, and chokes out t:ie pure love ot God that love which was exemplified in the life ot the Savior. In this respect we have departed from the original feelings which inspired Latter-d Latter-d ty Saints In the early use of the Church. We are lacking In another thing In the seekrfig ol counsel Irom those who preside over us. What) make slaves ot the people? Ask them to seek counsel of thee bishops, these men who work side by side with them? That was the way they did in Nauvoo.in Kirtland,and in other places; they sought the counsel ot the brethren, and sought it with a view to following It, not to ridicule it or to neglect it. Will some argue then that it was obedience to counsel that caused the people to be driven and to tiller as they did iu those dayst The argument Is without foundation. They lound success and bltssing in following counsel, and it was disobedience to counsel that caused Iheir driving out. It you will read the revelations of God as contained in the Doctrine and Covenants, Cove-nants, you will find that He explicitly states this. 1 want counsel of my brethren of my bishop, of those who preside over men the ward and stake mid in the church; 1 want their counsel because in their counsel there is safely. Do I show weakness or cowardice in thus advising wita my presiding authorities? author-ities? No; 1 Icel that in doing so I show, not only my humility, but my good common com-mon sense, In the world those w ho nre the most successiul, who are the best i educated, who are the most renowned, are the men who seek counsel; w ho mingle with their kllows and draw Irom each soul with whom they come in contact con-tact .some item of truth lo add to their store of knowledge. Today you find that people generally seek counsel to net out of dilhiulty, alter they have r lunged themselves into it. r-oratime kept a record ol people who sought counsel of the presiding authorities of the Church, as 1 heard of these cases, and there was not one in twenty five who sought counsel before performing the labor he had in mind, Taentydour wanted cuunsel niter tin y were in dithcuity, 1 hat is the way you generally general-ly find it. 1 will warrant the biihops have ten times more trouble with ilioie who fall to seek counsel until after in jury has come than with those who seek counsel with the idea ol following it before be-fore they engage in enterprise of various kinds. Why, the greatest men whoever lived sought cl tinsel. Washington, Wash-ington, with all his genius as a military commander .counseled with his generals, atid above ail he sought the advice and guidance ol God the Ltcrnal Katner. 1 do advisn every Lulterday Saint lo seek counsel. 1 say it is a duty that rests upuu you to seek counsel ol your brethrcii and your smtei. What would you think of a savage, who had never lived in a house, coming among iu and without watching the proccbscs ol building, build-ing, without seeking t.ie advice ol his more favored fellows, would begin laying lay-ing one stone upon another w ithout fn.le.niug them together with morinr? Why, you would say he is a fool, because he is building a house that is up! lo be blown down upon his head. Vet we are in that ery b.nue condition as Latter-day Saints. We nre iiiexprrirnc . ed in many things. We need instruction Irom God and irom His aervants, and yet without seeking that instiuctiou we j ate building l ou.nes that the dial wind will blow down about our earn. Wheal you do not understand a subject, do not I uudertar.d a labor that you have got to I perform, is it not natural lor you to go , lo those who have miorni.ii lop and stek to (tain it? This Is common in worldly allairs. Should it be less common in s iritual things? If the day ever comes when all the people are prophets, nnd upon all the people there rests the Spirit of God in its fullnes-, it will he unnecessary perhaps lor von to Reek counsel ps much as yiu ouht to do now. Hut 1 do not believe the d.i will ever ci-nie, in time or in eternity, when we will he from under the supervision and the counsel of persons who are over us of our Heavenly Father, and our earthly fathers, for that mattr,if Ihey live according to Ihe laws of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Closely allied with tin principle of seeking counsel is that of obedience; for it we seek counsel only lo disregard it, better lhal we do not seek it, because we rest under great condemnation if we turn aside from the truth alter it has been presented to us. The obedience which is required in the Church should he hist taugut in the home, at the lire-side lire-side obedience of wivrs to husbands, in righteousness; obedience ol children to parents, in righteousn ss. The inspiration in-spiration winch a lather can give, if he lives right, lo his wile nnd his children will prompt them to fallow him Irom love of him rather than Irom tear ot him. Tn ere should be a love in the home that will clme tne woman s mouth against slander, either of her kindred or ol her friends; that will never allow hrr to say a word against the character or the reputation ot hun who is pl.tcvd to be her head; that will never allow her to open her mouth in the presence of her cniidrcn to revile or lo speak harshly ol their lather or against a iieihb r ini-properly. ini-properly. Oueditiu e is discouraged rather than established In many homes through a lack ol ordinary wisdom oil the part ol fathers and mothers. At me d-tune d-tune thry will assail the clurac.ers ol their brethren and sisters in tne presence of those little untrained, untaught minds, sowing seeds ol distruot and itairea that all tne alter lite ol ihe- children w 11 not remove. 1-irst, thev do this with their ft i low Church members; then ihey do it w ith each other; ami in alter years win n tnese seeds have been somii and watered, cultivated and grown lo strttiitth, tho paicnts are surpiisid nt thj l ick ol obedience o t the pan if their sons and daughters, and at their wanderings, their l.nehooi!s and ihu oilier evils that afflict the n rig genera-lion genera-lion of this age. Go back lo the source of this trouble; go back to the begin ning of this evd, and eradicate it. u fathers and mothers. Let your mouths ni vcr utter a word of evil against your leliow-meii in tho pieseiicc ol those Ciii dien fur whose training you are responsible. re-sponsible. II you cannot speak well of your kindred and your Iriends, rather keep our mouths closed than to sin yonrsell and also place sin upon your offspring. Obedience in the family should be cultivated, shouM be encouraged en-couraged by every word an I act. I am gltdtOriayth.it there nre some young men and women who are just as obedient obed-ient to their fathers and mothers as the smalkst child is. Ihey do not participate partici-pate in this feeling which is more poetical poeti-cal than just, that the place for the father and mother, Ihe aged ones, is iu the chimney corner and not lu the social gatherings of Ihe youth. You lind amonx the Latter-day Saints s desire on the part ol the young to congregate together, and to debar irom their associations the aged their tut hers and their mothers Why is it? Is it because ihey have evil iu their hearts? I trust nut. Hut the suspicion has ground. The happiest parties that 1 ever remember attending in my ch id hood are those where our aged bnthreii and sisters gathered with the young pec pie and gave them leaves Irom their experience leaves that inspired lailh, narratives that encouraged hope and trust in God. I have heard, and that I very recently, young people remark young people, too, who are ol the most I faithful parents that Ihey will not at- tend such and ouch a gatheriug, because the old people are going lo be there. Our aged brethren and sisters may not boas polished as some ol these inie.licnt (according U their on ideas) young people who live now; but where did you get your polish? Where did you get vur intellectual strength? Where did you gel the graces and adornments ol which you boast? You got them through the sacrifices of your fathers and mothers, through their efTjrts in your behalf, and their faithfulness before be-fore God, which has drawn down Ihe blesuigs of heaven upon you as well as upon them. When you go before the Master you may be sure lhat you will luve to give an account of the treat metit you have tendcud to your latheis and mothers. You will be under their supervision and direction and care, lu a ce mi in extent, iu inai worm us you should be here. J ad.rired the remark of one very nice young lady of this city, made only a lew weeks ago in talking about her prospects of marriage and whom she intended to select from among her suitors, bays she, "1 will not marry ..ny mail unless my pare' ts consent to it." 'Wlutt not il you love him? not it your whole being m erits to be wrapped wrap-ped up in him?' "No,'' says she, "1 will not do it whatever my personal leel-ingi leel-ingi may be; unless my patents consent 1 shall not marry hun." She had acquired acquir-ed confidence in the judgment uud in tne righteousness ol her patents. It spoke volumes t.jr tne training she had ie ceived iu her home, ami it bespeaks blessings for her in this life und in eternity. eter-nity. oa teach your children to be obed-ient obed-ient and taithiul to you, and you will hud those children obedient to the Gospel and to the Priesthood ot God, There will be no dilliculty in cuntiolliug them, uo trouble bringing them into the lino of their duty. Ihey will be ready under all circumstances to answer the requirements that aru made ol them. Disobedience Is one great cause of the trounks which we have had in tiie fhtir. ltittlim nn.l m,l it will h- ll... cause ol greater trouble in the f nuio unless it is overcome. In the days ol Njuvoo, when men were called upon missions, they weru not asked as to their cirLumancis; their names were caLed and they were expected to go to the nations ol the earth to preach the Gospel without warning, and it they did not have money to pay their pas.igu they walked, just us one brother did here a few months uku startcil Iruin our city on loot to fill a mission in Lurope, with a courage, that knew no danger, a fjitliiuines that could Hut bo overcome. 1 nut in the kind ol niL-n who est ihli-dit'd tins Church. That is the kind ol women women ol laitti, who, when Dior bus bauds leit them wiim.ut lood lo l.tst the in a single oay and wi hout clothing to keep them warm, would mill tap their I husbands upon the back and tu I them to magnify their calhuts. That is the kind of men and women that laid the foundations ol this woik, deep and strong so deep and so strong that they will never be uprooted until the consummation of all things. One F.lder who hesitsted in the dasol Joseph to answer to a call to go upon a mission ws told by the Prophet lo (to or be d. rimed, lhat was the word to him. No heitation was allowed. What! was that a threat to Ins person? No, it was a threat vreater than to bis person; it was a revelation of what would be the result ol Ins disoledituce. He accepted the mission, and performed a taithbil one, too. There was no thought ot disotM'U tenre at that time. Now people are asked as lo their condition. It is well enough perhaps that it is so Idonni complain ol it Tneprople are in dit-lereut dit-lereut circumstances. Hut I still believe that there should be sufficient faith in the hearts of the people of God that if they are called upon missions and they cannot obtain means to pay their ps sages, they should answer that call and travel aitln ut purse and set p, turning in (iod to provide lor thrir tieces-.ili s. With such a spirit in the people as this we will find a courageous race growing up in thes- mountains, hpeikmg ol that, I want lo say tnat 1 sometime feci humiliated at the spirit manifested by l.ldcrs of this Church, who are afraid to do what Is tiht bciausei.f the (ear ot public opinion. l u I c opin on Is a good thing, because it often restrains the ile and the cor runt from doing things which would injure the communitv. Hat every Latter-day Sunt should feel like the old Commodore who was lUd ol what Ihe result would be in the public mind concerning con-cerning the course which he had determined deter-mined to take. He s.ud, "Tne pubi c be damned." It we know a thing is right, we should do it regardless ui the , con sequence, tins. ing in God lo bring good out of wnat sometimes appears lo ou evil. Do you trunk n public opinion had controdtd the world we would I ave reai hed the plane wc now occupy? No, we would not, not by any me.iiis. i he S i i;r wouid not have cjtue lordi establishing a new order ol things among tuc Jews; Luther would m-t have risen he uid iu tne dark ages lu (.all a halt upon tuu iniquities id ill - great mother church; Joseph Smith woiiiU not have revcaud tu the won I Ihe Go pel lhat God gave to him. If tlirse lutn had been k"verned and colt. relied by puidic opui.on, trie Chutcii wvUld li d havu hem established and we could not have- b i n iu the tonuidou we aiu now. ll public opinion la I restrained men, 'ut(,u would never have launched ids slop tii tne lltuKon river; pi;cn son would never have sought to drive his engine over Ihe r.wd, m the far" ol the nhicule of the Lnglisli pro lr; Morse ns he pleaded with C ong. ess for mi apptopna'ton witii which to construct a telegraph hue from WashiiiKtmi to JJ.iIti more, would have been restrained and would have (.dieted in the great mision lhat Gud had given him to do. It'it these men were inspired by the spin) which fie dispenses among His children, and in the tace ui ridituie, in the lace ot Ihe public, they peiformcd the duty that God assigned thern, and the world is made better and purer und higher by their nobility ol soul. It Latter-day Saints are Inspired as they should be, there is nothing that will cause them to tremble or to lear Ihe power of man. I have seen weak wo-1 wo-1 men, who seemed almost incapable ol ! moving, and yet with the Spirit of God in Iheir souls they have laced the world, their friends and Iheir kindred, have faced what seemed death to them, because be-cause they weie determined to serve God and keep His commandments. We want In this day men and women of courage who whenever they know what Is tight will do it, even though they know their lives will be required for the establishment ol that which they know to be right. If the people of the Latter-day Latter-day Saints aro potsescd of any other spirit than this, they have not got the spuit ol the Go. pel iu their souls, Wc w ant to be a race of men and women who have views of our ow n, who have characters established, who have unflinching un-flinching faith and unchangeable integrity; integ-rity; men and women, a-s we already luve the reputation of being, who can face a liowmng world without any lear ol the consequence of the conllict which may ensue. And this does not imply that we should be slaves, in any sense ol the word, to the Priesthood ol God; fur obedience to the Priesthood nukes lis independent; it gives us intelligence, wisdom, stiength both with men and with Go i, While I have spoken of the changed conditions that exist today from what Ihey were in the early rise of the Church, do not nusundeistand me, my brethren and sister. I do nut mean that we should Ktum lo old conditions, ex.ept as tho.e conditions will re .ult in our exaltation and blessing. Itecause the railroad did not cross the plains when ihe emigrants came to this country, coun-try, 1 would not say to the Latter-day Saints, 'You should go in ox teams and Willi hatiUcurG irom here lo Otnai.a or Council KnitD.' No; be ptorry: ive ii ea and women. Sive tho tin h lhat God is dispensing anions his His club drcti so hocrally in this day. O, en your nrnds and your heaits lo iuiedi i; elit e; lor every item ot intelligence and knot ledu that mankind has recuved is the gilt of God. He is true Himself, and everything that He gives to lis is true, and is intelligence and wisdom. Gj on in the path of progress, ut wisdom, wis-dom, ol learning, lie second lo no people peo-ple upon the lace of the caith m the uc quit incut ol the uris ami graces of mankind. Hut above all things, 1 implore im-plore you, as I do myself, to keep burning burn-ing within our hearts laith In God that will give us eternal wid m and eternal riches, and the love of the Gospel that will make us as ore great family in the service of Go. I. Amen, |