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Show QUARTERLY CONFERENCE. <br><br> The attendance at the quarterly conference which convened in the Tabernacle on Saturday, July 30th, was not very large, owing to its being in the height of the busy season. On Sunday the attendance was very large, both forenoon and afternoon. <br><br> When the conference opened on Saturday morning there were present on the stand: Presidents John Taylor, Geo. [George] Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith, Apostles Wilford Woodruff, F. D. Richards and J. H. Smith; the presidency of this Stake, and Elder L. John Nuttall of Salt Lake.<br><br> Singing, Prayer by Prest. [president] Jos. [Joseph] F. Smith. Statistical report was read.<br><br> Apostle John Henry Smith addressed the Saints, and referred to the material growth and prosperity of the people of this Stake. Spoke of nations who, in getting rich, had forgotten God and religion, and neglected the principles of true progress and moralism. He hoped the Saints would avoid these evils, and maintain their integrity to the gospel, their covenant and those principles that will produce [line unreadable] failings called around them their families of an evening to reason with them, and instill in their minds the principles of the Gospel. He dwelt upon the propriety of laboring with the wayward and disobedient, and the duty of fathers to exercise patience and wisdom with their families, and avoid making a record of negligence to be read at the great day of Judgment. Mothers should use all their influence with their children, and teach them virtue, truth, chastity and righteousness. The teaching of mothers go very far with their children in restraining them from evil in their after lives.<br><br> Apostle Wilford Woodruff approved the remarks of the previous speaker. Spoke of the great change and improvement we had made in a quarter of a century, and of the great future that lies before the Saints. Judging by the past, what may we expect to take place within the next third of a century? Disbelief and infidelity prevail in the world. The speaker endorsed the remarks of Elder Smith regarding the training and teaching of the children, and thought such instruction very necessary. He spoke of the great responsibility resting upon the Saints, of the Interposition of the Almighty in preparing them, and in saving their crops from devouring insects. Was glad to note the increase of faith among the Saints, especially among the young, and urged the Saints to train and educate their children, and prepare them for the work that lies before them.<br><br> Singing. Benediction by Prest. [president] Cannon.<br><br> SATURDAY 2 P. M.<br><br> Singing. Prayer by Apostle F. D. Richards. The clerk read the Temple report. Pres. C. O. Card reported progress upon the Temple. There had been a heavy falling off of donations from this Temple district. The speaker said the Finances of the Temple were in arrears, and appealed to the people for aid to complete the House of the Lord.<br><br> Bishop Thos. [Thomas] X. Smith addressed the Saints, and gave an account of his mission to England. There are a few good Saints in that country. Many have delayed gathering when they had means to do so. The people generally are indifferent to the gospel. He spoke of the hard winter they had had in England, felt to appreciate his mountain home, and hoped the Saints would train their children aright.<br><br> Elder Samuel Roskelly addressed the Saints and refered to his recent mission to England, and spoke of the monotony he experienced in preaching faith, repentance, baptism and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. He was glad to hear his brethren speak of the principles of our holy religion. He narrated his travels and labors in England and the United States. Spoke of the lack of faith in mankind, and the departure of fertility from the earth. He exhorted those indebted to the P. E. Fund to pay up, that the poor might be gathered.<br><br> Elder Joseph Goddard made a few remarks. His experience while on his late mission to England had been similar to that of his brethren who had spoken: He had found the people indifferent to the gospel, and devoted to the aquirement [acquirement] of wealth and position.<br><br> Apostle F. D. Richards remarked that it was pleasant to hear from the brethren just returned from their missions, and mentioned his experience while on his last mission. The Gospel dispelled the fear of death from those who received it. There is a great prize to be obtained in searching after truth and knowledge pertaining to the kingdom of God. The Saints should be diligent in seeking after knowledge of all kinds that will be of use. It is of great benefit to an elder to go upon a mission, it opens his mind to comprehend the principles of the gospel. The speaker urged the completion of the Logan Temple, that the Saints might labor therein. He set forth the great importance of looking after our dead, and of our becoming saviors upon Mount Zion, according to the prediction of the prophets. He showed the importance of children, born out of the covenant, being sealed to their parents according to the order of the priesthood.<br><br> Singing. Benediction by Apostle Lorenzo Snow.<br><br> SUNDAY 10 A. M.<br><br> Present on the stand, Presidents John Taylor, Geo. [George] Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith, Apostles Lorenzo Snow and F. D. Richards; Presidents Wm. B. Preston, C. O. Card, M. W. Merrill and others. Singing. Prayer by Pres. M. W. Merrill.<br><br> President Joseph F. Smith was the first speaker. I trust that we may enjoy the Good Spirit to-day, and in order that we may do so we should center our mind on the objects for which we have assembled, and ?? us exercise faith for the blessings of God. The road to eternal salvation lies through those cares, labors and vicissitudes of every day life, and the blessings of God have been promised only upon condition of faithfulness and obedience to the laws on which they are predicated, and can be obtained in no other way. All happiness or pleasure which is not derived from true principles and right conduct is not true happiness or pleasure at all. Our true happiness in this world is derived from precisely the same principles that the true happiness of the next world will be. The love, charity, mercy and goodness shown by Jesus, prove that the gospel is designed to make us happy, and to relive us physically and spiritually. There are no two roads to genuine happiness. We have no cause for trouble or disappointment of any kind as long as we are in the straight and narrow way. The man who is honest, virtuous, upright and a peacemaker, is above the law, beyond the power of all enemies, and is under no obligations to any one for wrong doing. He is indeed a free man. He has no cause for sorrow nor regret. He is perfectly happy. All men can observe and keep the moral law of the gospel, and as far as they do this they will receive the benefits of that law. Whoever will really love the Lord with all his heart, above all things else, our Father in heaven will feel after. That person will have the light and ordinances of the gospel shown unto him. If a person kept all the commandments and had faith in Christ. It might be supposed that he was in the path of salvation-saved as far as the gospel can save a man in the flesh; but such was not the case with the young man who asked the Savior what he must do to be saved, and who had always kept all the commandments, for when the Savior told him to sell his possessions, give the money to the poor, and follow him, the young man turned away sorrowful. Can a rich man enter the kingdom of heaven? I answer unequivocally, yes, on the same principle that a man [line unreadable] loves God more than his wealth, he can be saved by the ordinances of the gospel, and if a poor man loves his little wealth better than his God, he cannot be saved till he repents. There is danger that a rich man may, by his wealth and the cares connected with it, be weaned from his God. This is the danger that threatens the Latter-day Saints. As God blesses us more abundantly, there is danger of our setting our heart on the things of this world and thus losing the Spirit of God.<br><br> Was the rich man in torment and Lazarus in heaven, because the one was rich and the other poor? No; but because the former forgot his God in his wealth, while the latter was faithful through suffering. It is neither riches nor poverty that will save us: Salvation is not provided on condition of either.<br><br> Where are the people that can possess unfounded wealth, and yet not forget God? How few Saints can become wealthy and yet remain humble? And ?? can we receive as great an exaltation and glory without being tried by wealth as we can if we withstand its temptations? I think not. If a poor man dies firm in the faith, who would have apostatized through riches, I do not think he will receive the same ?? as the faithful man who is faithful notwithstanding his wealth. A man who can give up his wealth and all he possesses for the Gospel, has within him the principle to make a God! We as Saints must acquire this love for the gospel, and if we do not acquire it here we will have to acquire it somewhere, in the prison house, perhaps.<br><br> What frightens me most, is to see the people of God getting rich, for in so many instances the more they get, the less they do for the kingdom of God. When a man's income is $700 or $800 per year he can easily pay $70 or $100 tithing; but when he has an income of $3,000 or $10,000 it is very hard to pay $300 or $1,000 tithing.<br><br> The man who, in business, takes advantage of the ignorance or circumstances of his brother, will some time have to answer before the bar of God for robbery.<br><br> President Wm. [William] B. Preston presented the authorities of the church and of this Stake, all of whom were unanimously sustained. Singing. Benediction by Elder G. W. Thatcher.<br><br> SUNDAY, 2 P. M.<br><br> Singing. Prayer by Elder Lorin Farr. Pres. [president] Geo. [George] Q. Cannon by request of Pres. [president] Taylor read extracts from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants.<br><br> Pres. John Taylor then addressed the Saints. Lucifer proposed a plan of salvation which he knew was contrary to the law of God, and then he asked God to give him His glory. Lucifer's plan would have taken from man his agency, and made a serf of him. Satan succeeded in converting one third of the hosts of heaven, when he and they were cast out for their rebellion. Satan having introduced rebellion in heaven, and been cast out, started it on earth. Adam had two representative sons. Satan made one of them, Cain, believe that he, (Satan) was better than God, and that his (Cain's) rights were taken from him and he, (Cain.) became Master Mabon and he sought to destroy his brother Abel, partly from covetuousness [covetousness.<br><br> One would think there was enough in the world for those two. We read in the scripture of a line of priesthood, after Melchizedek and the Son of God. We also read of a plan for providing tabernacles for the spirits in the eternal world. Abraham sought out the genealogy of his father and of the priesthood, which was given him by Melchizedek, and for the Urim and Thummmin. Abraham was a descendent of Shem, who was a descendent of Methuseleh, who obtained a promise that through his seed the priesthood should be continued when the inhabitants of to the earth should be destroyed and shut up as prisoners in a pit. Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and the prophets generally were of the seed of Abraham, and so was the Savior. When a mission of salvation has been published to the earth, it has been carried by the descendants of Abraham. The people who come to this land were the descendants of Abraham and had many promises. The Apostles among them were of the seed of Abraham. Joseph Smith was of that same seed.<br><br> Before the earth was organized, God designated some of his sons as noble spirits, and said he would make them his rulers. Abraham was one of these. Were there other men set apart? Yes. Who were they? Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and many others. They have been set apart to co-operate with God in the work of redeeming the human family.<br><br> Who are these elders of Israel? They are a royal priesthood, called of God, to co-operate with the priesthood behind the vail, in the great cause of salvation. We are here as the representatives, the sons of God. We are a kingdom of priests. Many have been ordained kings and priests unto God, and their wives have been ordained queens and priestesses unto their husbands.<br><br> One half the human family, as is supposed, die before they reach the years of accountability. What becomes of them? They are saved through the atonement of Christ. What about the millions of heathen? All of them who would have embraced the gospel, and there are those who know about these things, will yet have the privilege of hearing it.<br><br> God, through His prophet Joseph, has taught us how to build temples and to operate in them. It is for us to know the will of God, and the feelings of the priesthood behind the vail, that we may co-operate with them, and it is for the sisters to assist their husbands.<br><br> The speaker regretted the falling off of donations to the Temple this year, and urged the Saints to improve their right to gain a blessing by helping liberally to build it.<br><br> Pres. Cannon addressed the people. A great amount of preaching is done by our best and most experienced men. Brigham Young had no equal in this country, from the president of the United States, down through the Senate and House of Representatives, in practical statesmanship. So are his brethren superior in this respect. We have an organization and a government among us that is very good. To what be it due? It is due to the holy priesthood which we have received.<br><br> We have grown rich by giving our means to temples and to build up Zion. The men who have been most obedient and liberal are the ones who have been most blest and prospered. Men who have taken wives in obedience to the commands of God are the men who have always been best off financially. They are also blest in spiritual matters, and great wisdom is given unto them.<br><br> A man who thinks more of his wife or of his children than he does of God, is unworthy of God, and no woman, if she is a true Saint, will stay with a man if he thinks more of her than he does of his God. There is a great principle in this.<br><br> This people are a standing miracle to the world to-day. God has brought us here, and established us, and blessed the land in which we dwell, until it is the wonder and admiration of the wealthy, wise and great who visit us.<br><br> Singing. Benediction by Apostle Lorenzo Snow. |