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Show PRIESTHOOD MEETING. At the priesthood meeting in the Tabernacle basement on Saturday last a very full representation of the wards of this Stake were present. After a few preliminary remarks by President Preston, Apostle Lorenzo Snow addressed the meeting. He was much pleased to meet with the priesthood of Cache Valley Stake of Zion. He always had peculiar feelings of reverence and respect in meetings of the priesthood. He felt he was then in the presence of great men who had stood in the presence of God before the world was, and made great covenants with Him, which they were here fulfilling. We have received the holy priesthood from God, through the Savior and the ministration of angels, and we expect to magnify this priesthood in a manner that will render us worthy to inherit the glory which the Savior had with God before the world was. Owing to the weaknesses of our tabernacles we are apt to forget these great things. In some respects Jesus was greater than Adam, because he stood next to the Father and there was no other being, who, through the shedding of his blood, could have accomplished what the Savior did. He was the greatest and purest of all, and yet did not think it beneath him to perform a lowly mission in the earth, submit to every indignity, and suffer death. Jesus always desired that the Father's will and not his should be done. He always acted upon this principle. We in all our doings should have an eye single to the glory of God. It was hard for the Savior to carry out in all things His Father's will. Lucifer failed utterly to do it. If it was hard for the Savior to do always the will of God, we must expect that it will also is hard for us. The priesthood which we have is one of sacrifice; not of sacrifice on the cross but of the thousand sacrifices required because of the children of men. It is demanded of us that we sacrifice in the interests of the people. Especially is this true of Bishop, who have to suffer many things because of the ignorance of the people. The Savior suffered because of the ignorance of the Jews, in not knowing who he was. We possess advantages over any who have ever before held this priesthood. Our work in this dispensation is to build cities and towns, and get possession of territory and build up a kingdom. We find men possessing the spirit of the celestial kingdom, others possess the spirit of the terrestrial and others that of the telestial kingdom, and others have the spirit of the devil's kingdom. We cannot expect all to be willing to be equally obedient and faithful in making sacrifices. We cannot expect to make everybody holy. As long as we can make a good use of a man, though he will not be as good as he ought to be, it is unwise to cut him off. I often feel to sympathize with a Bishop. He has an onerous position to fill, and if in charge of a large ward, he has a great variety of persons to deal with, and many embarrassments to contend with. The duties of a Bishop develope the intelligence that is in him most effectively, and if faithful he will have so much of the spirit of inspiration and so much power with God, that he can accomplish about all the Lord requires or expects of him. It is natural for a man to desire the glory of all the good he may do, but this belongs to God. Many men do not know when the servants of God are doing right, and doing good, and accuse them of doing evil when they are doing the will of the Father. If a man is faithful, even though he has had no opportunity of obtaining a wife, he will at some time have all the wives necessary to his glory and eventually his posterity will outnumber even the vast hosts of spirits who fell with Lucifer. The Saints of this Temple district have done well, over $300,000 having been spent on the Temple, most of which has been donated by the Saints. The speaker thought the Temple might be built by tithing if a just tithing were paid, but he did not think it would be fulfilling our obligations as Saints to build it out of the tithing. The law of tithing is definite and strict, but every man is his own judge as to how much he should give to the Temple. And here is the principle of the United Order. It will be left to the man to say how much he requires for his family, him that will direct him aright. It is not right to compel a man contrary to his education and the light which is in him. He should be death with kindly until he learns better. About $165,00 would be required to finish the Temple, and it was proposed that a donation be called ?? the heads of families, of fifty cents each for every man, woman, and child. It is estimated that there are ?? Saints in this Temple distract, and if each gave fifty cents the whole would amount to ??, a larger amount than has yet been donated in cash to the Temple. Pres. Preston said that one of the principle objects of this meeting was to secure action on this fifty cent donation and to inform the bishops of the ?? of the Temple committee on the subject. He presumed that all or nearly all the Saints in this Temple district could make this donation and many could easily do more. The nails, paint, glass &c., necessary to finish the Temple, would cost large sums of money and it was desired that the building ?? by voluntary donations. The Lord has blessed us abundantly this year, and anything we have for sale bring money and we are without excuse. Let the bishops and teachers collect this donation, and keep a careful record of the names of all who contribute. The meeting voted, unanimously to take up this donation. In regard to the caring for the poor, the Trustee in Trust thought we in this Stake, were extravagant in asking for help for the poor from the tithing, in view of our abundance and facilities for the poor to help themselves. But such is really need support, should receive it from the fast offerings and offerings for the poor, and from collections of wood ?? which the bishops and teachers could take up. While it was not forbidden to give the tithing to the poor, the Trustee-in-Trust did not speak favorably of it. Pres. C. O. Card endorsed what had been said, and advocated the encouraging of the children to give to the Temple. He advised the bishops to take grain on donation and turn it into cash. There were not one fourth enough teams to haul the rock, lumber, &c. Let teams be furnished before bad weather begins, that man and beast may not have to be exposed to winter weather. Singing. Benediction by Elder John Parry. |
