Show I i REPORT OF TITHING TITHING FUND RECEIPTS MADE ADE I I BY DENT SMiTh Breaking precedents President Joseph Josephr I 1 r 1 Smith of or the Church of or Christ Christof of ot day latter Saints yesterday fea- fea lured tm-ed his o opening to the eighty fifth general conference i b by a ft report upon the for tho year ur 1914 1911 In other respects the address lIs of or the church hend head was waft n ft pe-aue pe sermon In which ho he told Df t r the tho peace and happiness within the I church hurch und and of or the churchs church's peaceful I mission throughout tho the world I The tithing report showed that duri durIng dur- dur urI ur- ur I Jn Ing 1914 tho the sum of or 0 0 was wt collected col cot i In tithing In the church throughout through through- out the world and that t nn an equal amount mount j had har been n expended und under r various heads heus I In the operation and anel maintenance of or th the tho t f church He lie also gave oth other r general gener on the Iho churchs church's progress lurI dur- dur I j In the tho past t year earI ear I I 1 have no doubt that many of or the i good people gathered lu hero here re this morning 1 not heard will what lias tabernacle aclo or organ an It become of or th the great ent may DUty be he proper for me mc to say sal n to you that the tho or organ n Is undergoing thorough repairs and 18 is In such auch a t condition that It cannot Lc tic used at nt present and peri per- per perhaps i hr lop haps ps will not bo be prepared for use for forI I several weeks weds to como conic i l Since the last conference held In InthIs thIs thin tabernacle tho tabernacle Itself 1 r ha has undergone somewhat exten extensive repairs re- re pairs A new floor throughout the tho 1111 IiI h hn hn h hon on laid th the seats have hn I all i. i been Uen en r rn renovated n v teti- teti and renewed cd re repainted repainted re- re painted d and and the buildIng build build- building Ing ng put In ITt excellent condition During Durin tho the process s of or painting and renovating th the inward part of or the building It was wt mC necessary r to keep a degree delree of or warmth I or he heat t In the thc building that Injuriously affected some somo parts puts or of th the organ putting putting putting put put- ting It really out of or repair for the Jre present nt I thought Just a n word ord of or ex explanation ox- ox with reference to this matter might be appropriate at nt the tho opening of or thin this conference which is tho the eighty eighty- fifth annual general conference of or the Church of or Jesus Christ t of oC Latter da Saints Saint Church at Pe Pence Peace brethren and I i am mo most l happy my nn sisters to 81 to you ou that t which you ou all nil know that the Church of or Jesus Jesu Christ of or latter day Saints Is at peace penco with Itself and It In II at itt peace with nil all the world Wo We 13 have ha no of oC war warIn warIn In Ir our hearts heart We e have ve been taught and we have ha learned that It In is a part of our dut duty and a a. very vCr important part of oC our dut duty to abandon the spirit of or strife strite and of or cont contention and of or warfare either among ourselves clI or against nn any portion l of or the children of or men We Vo send out our elders elder to o o the na nations nations nations na- na of or tho the earth carth not to make war upon n the religious organizations that lint exist not to contend with them hera and to tro create strife and confusion aid contention con cnn among the Inhabitants of or the world The Thc message that wo we have to toMar Mar boar to the time children of or m men n I Is Ii the mes- mes Ngo of OC life lire t the tho c message of or peace the of or j al and of or r from sin Our elders are Instructed here Iler and nd the they are taught really front from their childhood up that list tho they are not notto notto notto to go out to 10 niche make war upon upun th the re- re organization of or the world when the they lr are called callea to go to out to ta preach the tho gospel of or Jesus Christ but to go and bear with them tho the message which has u a been given I Cn to the children of or men through the Instrumentality of Ori the lie prophet Joseph Joeph In this latter Jatter ion tion whereby 1 men mn may learn tho the truth I If r the they willI will wm I f th thank God m 01 heavenly Fattier Father na you OU do 10 ever oVe every one ono of oC you present hero tiers too today 1 and an as do all tho the people of oC I the Church of or Jesus Christ 0 of or Latter Latter- tt r- r I thanK than God that day Saints Saint say wo we our land Jand IB Iii at peace as lS much as os It Is 1 nm II sorry 0 IT that theTa there should b be an any Internal disruptions Internal il visions divisions sr Jr that tho the spirit of or strife and nd contention conten conten- lIon tion should exist at all In the various organizations of nt time the people of our Li Lind ml I am nm sorry that there ther should be ante rl If It the they had lad tho ho gospel of or Jesus Christ thE they would not have vo that strife tho they would cease to harbor the feeling n of or contention und and of or strife they would meet together the they would counsel the they would Mould rate I IN tho th spirit of or 0 win will tom dom and o of meekness meeknes ann of or humility Invoking time the blessing and spirit of or Al l Almighty mighty might God in their deliberations ant and counsels and ant then together upon th that t which would be bo for tho the common good and amid for the public weal and then ther go cO as RS one man to do that which I Is necessary to be done tone to build up the nation and th the count country In which w wo wc dwell hell Prays for Peace I am JI glad d that we have havn kept out of ol tho the war wu so 10 o far and 1 J hope and pra pray that t wo we mn may not be under the necessity of sending our lions to war or feeling ns as a n nation tho the distress the an angulat and the sorrow florrow tint that come from a 1 condition con con- such as exists ts upon the old ron con Oh Oil Oh God Cod have e merc mercy u upon on Jilt Ills poor children In l and throughout through h out the tho world orld who ho are brou brought ht under the HIP awful conditions that exist thou there 1 t of or the ambition and pride linde ol of or ormen men mUon and the claim of or m men n to dictate even to life or ot death tho the welfare OP or I tho the conduct of or the people o over whom they ther rule Paid Now ow some people have saul said Id you ou know reported that the tithes of th the church amounted to millions every fI jear yeni and Joseph J. J H F Smith h has I absolute control con vol of or all nil these millions million and never I gives U an any account of or them to the tIme world L Lnor nor to anybody else ele Now we wc nrc not giving 1 to the thc world we are giving g It to 10 the Latter utter dl day Saints These amounts which I have e rend I think It mn may bo be pro proper r to state here herc this thin is ii the entire tithing of or au all 11 the tin church In all nil tho the world for or the year tar 1914 Now when wIlen you ou ou come to talk lk about the millions and millions of or dol del tars lars of or tithing paid b by tho the Church of or Jesus Jesu Christ of or latter day Saints It l h simmered down to O for the tho year car 1914 and that was wan nn an average a year ear I m may be pardoned perhaps If It I sa say I here for tho the benefit of or an any who do not I know the time facts that the law of or tithing la is a R voluntary law that Is Is It Im Imposes Oles only a n voluntary dut duty upon the tho people No man no mans man's standing as a member mem mem- ber her of or the tho church nor an woman's womans standing standing for for that matter nn any person personas as a n member of or the church I church is Is Ired because cAuse th they dont don't pa pay their In lag ing because th they dont don't observe th the laws of or God There are n a good Rood manof man many of or us that dont don't observe nil tho the laws and It Is a n good thing that tho ho Lord Lor does not execute Justice and anti Jud Judgment upon a n great man many of or us The expenses of or th the tho general nu- nu and the maintenance of or th the tho first presidency are arc paid p out of tho the revenue rev re anile derived from Investments and no not out of or the tithes of or th the church Investments In as a n rul rule consist of or contributions con lon of or stocks of various kinds tithe to ti the church on tithing which have linio b been NI held by the church and tin the dividends that we Wf derive front from these there stocks ant and from these Investments for the bene fit it of or the people In every ever Instance For Fot the church haw never micron made malle an Investment Invest ment mont that was SUI not for the object o of or i benefiting the whole people ns its far as ns possible fostering Industries fostering the tho colonization of or our country foster In ing and Aiding the settlers of or our coun try tr of or our state and of or our adjoining states as far r as wo we possibly can cm tn by 11 assisting them with means menus to help then them I 1 lay the foundation of or tom for or themselves h Poor Given Aid lu In Imi addition to the amount paid out out of or tho the tithes to the poor has ham been expended There has been n coland col col- and 1 paid 1111 to the poor by Ly the thi Relief Helle society Paid to time the poor pool b by time the bishops bishOp from the tho fast offerings offering and other ward charities and funds making n a total paid to the poor for or 1914 of or It Just occurs to me that we are aro talking t to you ou on tho tire Sabbath day dar anti some people perhaps ma may feel reel that It Is somewhat out of or place for us to talk about temporalities for us to talk about mon lOOn y about tithing or about tho he expenditure of oC means and anti tho the use that hat Is III made mado of 01 It Jt on tho the Sabbath day clay but the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath God made matle the SabbathS Sabbath or designated the SAbba sabbath th dl day for lor a n da day of or rest ret a da day of or mf worship a day for goodly deeds deed and for humility and penitence and the tho wor won ship of oC the Almighty In imi spirit and In truth mu tb There Thero has haft been collected for the war s sufferers which IB is being ex ex- ex under tho the direction of or PresIdent PresIdent Pres Pres- I ident II rum M. M Smith of or the European European Eu Eu- mission and this was done dono In ono one day pr practically II a day set flet apart part for general contributions for Cor the tho benefit of or the tho sufferers In consequence con con- sequence of or tho the war I have a n list of Jr if the names flames of or all the tho stake of ZIon and the lie wards which contributed contributed contrib contrib- tle these e means and It was nil all contributed anti and handled arid and sent Bent to tho the sufferers to bo be distributed equally and Impartially to I Latter I-atter- day ny Saints mind vou ou first I first I want to tell Lob you ou that vvo wo will be honest with you OU Wo Ve 0 feel that It Is tIme the first dut duty of or day Latter Saints to take care of themselves oll and of or their poor anti and then If It we can enn extend it to others and as wide tIde and Bitar UH Bit far ar it 1111 we nit can extend charlt charity and assistance to others that thal are not members of or the tho church we foci feel that it Is our duty dut to do It but hut first to look after the members of or your own household The man mall that that will not provide for his own house hOURt a all as onor on one of or old has hilI said Is worse than amm la an-la- imi- imi fIdel I. I Ie We Ve e want ZIon to grow and amid heroine become strong In righteousness W We 03 want tho ho people of or ZIon to develop and grow frow and become como strong In wisdom We c want you jou ou to cultivate the spirit of or mercy tho the spirit of or charlt charity and forgiveness Wo We 0 want wl you jou ou to 10 be bo generous to the Limo poor we ie desire that you ou will gu guard rd tho the help help- less lean the time aged and provide for them God hns has made provision In his church In the vast and complete organization of It It that every ciery soul that Is 19 a member of or the church mB may b be looked a after 1 and nurtured and cared carell for In lii the hour of or need The trouble with us at present I Is that there are IrO so o many Latter day that Saints that I Is Mormons m members men that are aro h holding membership In tho ho church church there are so many of or them theta that neglect their duty In co many ways that o wo have o riot not the moans means to provide pro as amply as we wo would like liko for tho the necessities of or tho time poor Ioor When you ou look m my brethren and sisters upon a tithing record a book of or large dimension dimen sion- sion containing the names of or members of or the church who do not pay their tithing you OU do not need to wonder r wh why the church has not more means to provide pro pro- I Id vide ikle for this the poor We Ve are aro doln doing the tho best bent we itc can with tho ho means we wo have ha 1 I nm om on gong to read you OU Just a ro few little IUlIo II things that we are doing with your Jn means that you ou consecrate to the Lord for tho the of or ZIon Tithing Statement Made Tho general church auditing committee commit commit- tee has hall examined mined the receipts and anti disbursements dis dill LUr of the tithes e of the tho I of or ZIon and missIons also the accounts of or th the presiding bishops bishop's office and tho tic I accounts account In the office of or the time trustee e In Iii I trust Their report will bo be rendered L before the close of or the conference I I suppose Tho The following report will wit I show how how tho the tithing of or th the church for tom the time year 1914 1814 has been ben disbursed Now ow I am 10 taking a U liberty that has not been Indulged In very ory much but there thero have I b been en man maim many false e. wicked char charges tS t'S made math I against me nie and o against m my brethren by wicked Idled and evilly evl dl disposed pos d people and I think that this statement nt which I propose to make mako to you will wl nt at least have n II tendency to 10 convince con you OU that thai vie we are aro c trying to do our dut duty duly the best we know now how Means Ieans expended for lor the tho erection and maintenance of oC stake tabernacles tabernacles taber taber- ward meeting houses bouses amusement ement halts halls and other atako and ward expenses expense for I I II 1911 1911 For the time maintenance of or the thc church schools during tho the same sime year ear For tho the maintenance of or our tent tem piNS pies four from St St. George Georgo to Jo Logan nn Disbursements in III munitions for tor forthe forthe the erection of or general mission activities and andor for 01 or return fares tares of oC missionaries during 1911 For tho the maintenance of or church buildings s and amI the church Institutions Institutions institutions Including tho the temple and time the presiding bishops bishop's of office or- or fice fico 93 For tor the tho completion had maintenance maIntenance main main- of or the time Latter day Saints Saints' ho hospital during luring that year car To 10 explain why alt this happens to toLe tobe tobe be Le so o much I may sa say that we ac have ha built a very ery beautiful and convenient convenient con con- conI I addition to the old hospital which has mado made this expense so much greater One who knows I who o has had hat experience and Been saya MS that the Latter day Saints Saints' hospital that Is the William 11 II roves l I Latter day cn atter-cn Saints Saints' hospital Is la ono One that would be n II credit to tonn tonny nn any count country In time the world For tho the erection of or the lie |