Show 1 i I I 0 I r Greetings From the First 0 Presidency 0 o i I Io 4 Review of Years History of the Church o t l f i i ir r t j f I 1 f 1 I I i s ss s A I I II I I I II i Ii 1 I I I i Ii I Ij II III i j j 4 I IL I I Il s II L Ike J JI i I j jI jI l I I Wyk a p pf Q q I I I II f I I II i ti t 1 p ty r r rt t p c r rr SY Q r K i y Y t j jI I j i 11 It I ii i iI I I i iI I I I I Ii II a ty d i t t I 0 I I O 1 0 I Tain F a I J O e pl 1 t i iTe Te GAIN we desire to greet the Saints through the columns of the Christmas Deseret News We Ve e do so with grateful hearts for the mercies of the Lord and an d His Ilis protecting g i a extended to the members of the Church Churche e A The Saints have much to be thankful for or at the tl close of the year ear 1909 It lt has been be n marked ma ked with Avith progress in the work wor of f the Lord and has been eventful in many elan ways in the advance advancement advancement a ament ment of the interests of ot the Church In the he t discoveries and inventions of scientific men in various varIOUS parts of the thc world the Spirit of the Lord has also been made manifest in a marked degree decree in t accordance with ancient prophecies concerning the purposes of the thc Almighty in these latter days lays I IThe I 4 The Church of Jesus J Christ of Saints today stands firmer stronger and better equipped to cope with error and to scatter seeds of truth than ever eer before notwithstanding Ep the opposition brought to bear against it and the circulated by b y unprincipled men in their vain effort to destroy the work of the thc Lord Friends have been raised up among among a the thc honorable men of of t the thc nation to defend the truth and there is today oday a better comprehension of the thc work called Mormonism than has been manifest throughout the world in years y years ars that are past 1 Prejudice and ignorance b are gradually giving g a way way Avay before b fore the light of truth We Ve r e have had the p g of correcting g many errors that have haAc y yb in m the past crept into encyclopedias enc and and histories h and in inline 11 z I line wIth Avith this we are pleased d to see the commencement of the publication of the hc history of the thc Church in the thc A one ne of the leading historical lis C j 1 journals published in the United States This magazine c J i t circulates among an intelligent class of people The Thc publication of these articles grew out of an attack made by a designing P person erson on a a at of the Book of Mormon that appeared in the same magazine etc t The Thc privilege was Avas granted Elder B H Roberts to make a reply which was Avas later followed by his being invited to write a short history of the Church to run through several numbers of the thc magazine I We V c feel to recommend re this magazine to the Latt Saints and trust they will Avill support it with their subscriptions t The Thc world is gradually learning that the Church has been misunderstood and should have a respectful hearing r rIn In fact act this recognition has taken the form among amonn some of the Christian sects of adopting certain principles of the Gospel taught b by y the Church The principle of revelation the doctrine of the personality and individuality y of the Godhead the law of tithing the tile Vord Word of Wisdom m requiring temperance on the thc part pait of the members in the th strictest sense the abstaining from all harmful and unnecessary drugs and stimulants the anointing of the thc sick with Avith oil and ud prayer in their behalf l lr r and other principles revealed by the thc Lord to the thc Church The dogmas of infant damnation and that there is is no salvation beyond the thc grave have generally found disfavor and by many have been aban abandoned I 1 y since the thc advent of the Gospel into the thc world i i While Thile there are exceptions the Saints m in n general have been faithful and diligent in the thc discharge of their obligations in keeping the commandments required of them as members and in listening listening r ly to the thc counsel and instruction given them by b y the priesthood and the thc officers of the Church both general and local have been actively engaged in performing the various duties devolving upon them The responsibilities resting upon the priesthood in caring for the thc flock is of the greatest importance and requires faithfulness and perseverance These duties and responsibilities arc are increasing increasing due I fl to the progress being made and the peculiar conditions surrounding us At the beginning of the year the thc various quorums of priesthood were each provided with Avith a course of study embodying the doc doe doctrines doctrines i t trines of the thc Church and items of Church discipline and and government Monday night each week was Avas set apart for the members of the thc quorums to gather in ill their several wards to receive instruction and x inform their minds that they y might qualify themselves for their duties in the Church The plan adopted has resulted in great good and through this cause the thc priesthood meetings and the regular gath aBath gatherings 1 t f fr r of the people have been better attended Ve We feel gratified with Avith the thc results growing out of the activity engendered in these meetings 1 The Thc population in the stakes is steadily increasing During g the past year the thc Yellowstone stake has been t organized r It has also become becom e necessary y y to create new wards where the communities j have grown so large that the officers are overburdened in in their labors This has necessitated the thc calling into active service a great number of brethren and sisters s thus tIms increasing the interest in and and vigor 1 of the work and the thc efficiency of the thc ministry t Considerable building bu has been done in the erection and repairing g of houses of worship p and other buildings so that better facilities for worship could be afforded the thc members These buildings have r been substantially built with Avith modern improvements and conveniences One of the thc most substantial and imposing buildings erected is the thc building east of the Salt Lake Temple on North Main street con containing containing conI I taming the offices of the Presiding Bishopric some of the thc quorums of the priesthood and the auxiliary organizations The building is fireproof and contains strong well protected cd vaults a where records I Imay may be safely preserved Another imposing g structure in course of erection is the thc Deseret Gymnasium just east cast e st of the thc Presiding Bishops building now so far advanced that it is enclosed It It is built for forthe forthe forthe the physical development and training of the thc youth In the thc missions the thc work is spreading and the thc results arc are gratifying many of f the missionaries arc are traveling without purse or scrip and are aie provided for by the people thus depending on the prom promises p promises om f l of the Lord There has been a renewal of missionary work throughout the New England states slates from which so many m man ln y of the thc early cady and influential families of the Church were gathered The work of the p pI I Lord is being prosecuted with vigor in all the missions We Vc i regret egret however that in some portions of the world the Elders arc are restricted in their freedom but bUl in this regard there is a gradual improve improvement l Went ment i ip During the year two of our Elders El laid down clown their lives while laboring in the mission field This is greatly regretted and the thc sympathy and blessings of the brethren to the thc bereaved ved i io t it o Notwithstanding b this it il is most remarkable considering a the thc great number of missionaries who are arc constantly laboring laborin g throughout the th nations that the thc deaths deaU s are arc so few and anti this shows show that th t the protect protecting T Tit de ing hand of Pi Providence evidence is over them The Elders who were taken were Griffith E Williams who labored in iii the British mission and who died September and John H Cartwright of the thc Western j I l States Stales mission who Aho died lied October 22 I t tl The Thc Book of Mormon 11 0 1111 Oil translated by Elder Alma O 0 Taylor has been published in the Japanese language This record which the thc angel said should go forth to all nations tongues and peoples has f fIc Ic 1 now been translated and published publish cd in fulfilment of that prediction in English German Danish Swedish Dutch Spanish French Fren French h Italian Welsh Hawaiian Maori Samoan Tahitian Turkish and Japan i it t ese esc sc It has also been translated into Greek Greck Armenian Hebrew and In many of these languages it has passed through numerous editions t I itt The Thc work of the thc Bureau of Information on the Tabernacle grounds in Salt Lake City is also of large proportions Three hundred thousand th usand tourists passed through the Tabernacle Tab grounds during t o o this year For the thc benefit of these visitors the thc Church provided provi ed free organ recitals which were given every ever y day each cach week from the April to 10 the thc October conference The impressions made upon the visitors have been for good Prejudice has been removed from their minds and they have hae returned to their homes with Avith clearer ideas respecting the thc Saints and their mission in the thc world The influence in flu ct i ence once of this labor Jabor is felt in the mission field where the thc missionaries come in contact with Avith the parties who have been so freely and pleasantly entertained while in ill our city l tb I The l he responsibility y resting upon the thc parents in providing 1 for the thc spiritual as well as the thc temporal welfare of their children is of the thc utmost importance lance They y should teach them the he 1 principles of I I IJ J i the Gospel 1 from their earliest childhood impressing upon their minds the thc divinity of the mission of the thc Prophet Joseph Smith They should be encouraged to do right be virtuous honest truthful and i st faithful to every CAery obligation and covenant This can best be bc impressed upon their minds by b y example on the part of the thc parents the They should themselves y be bc what chat y they would have their children to be bc bethey befi I fi fin n they the should do what they would have them do and avoid the evils that would grieve their own spirits should their children commit them They should admonish them in in kindness encourage them in I 1 1 1 Ee instruct them in the home to keep the Word Vord V ord of Wisdom to pray and give thanks to God for all His blessings in the law of tithing a an and in all virtuous deportment and grant to them every I I opportunity y to receive the benefits benet ts and instruction afforded them therm by the several organizations of the th Church eo n There is a growing tendency throughout the land to disregard the observance of the Sabbath day The command Remember the thc Sabbath day lay to keep it holy is as much the thc law today as when it was given to Israel on onte te Mount Sinai Theaters Th aters and various public amusements are arc now held on Oil the Sabbath day daj contrary to the revelations of the Lord and they prove a potent factor in destroying the thc faith of those who pai participate in this practise The Theu u parents l of the youth youth of Zion should guard their children against this and all other evils for they will vill be he held responsible should their children go astray astra through their neglect Ile For th the e purpose of assisting g the Saints ints m in the th necessary ne essary instruction and al protection of their children from the evils curls of the th world that arc a c so rapidly finding their thou way t tin into the communities unities of the Ll Saints Sains Religion in classes Primary associations the auxiliary organizations which are helps in m the government of the thc Church have been established We Ve desire the parents to have their children enrolled in m these organizations and receive the ben benefit bend d of the thc training g therein given We Ve also call to their attention the advantages in having their children attend the thc Church schools There arc are twentynine of these located in different sections of the territory occupied by the Lat ta 3 y Saints m which the various branches of education arc are taught including b spiritual and moral training so necessary y to a complete education These schools arc are efficient and should be he liberally patronized patr Another matter maHel of greatest importance to the Saints which was mentioned in our greeting of 1908 is the work in iu behalf of the dead The year past has been one of marked progress in 11 this tills direction many m ny of the Saints have been diligently g securing mg the records of their dead and have performed ordinances m ul in their I behalf This is indeed gratifying and should be encouraged for there is no greater work in all the Gospel plan required of us tit The Genealogical Genealogical Society of Utah which was Avas organized for the purpose of securing genealogical records for the use of those interested in temple work has secured many valuable records from Europe and New England d during luring the present resent year car ar We Ve suggest that the Saints join this society and give it their support that they may have better facilities for obtaining these important records s of the thc dead In January 1910 the Society will II commence the publication of a genealogical and historical magazine which will be he devoted to the publication of genealogical information pedigrees and other items that will aid the people in securing their the r records records and performing I I the work ork for their dead The past has witnessed the calling to the other side of a number of the veterans who have done much for the cause of Zion at home and abroad Among these tl ese stalwart and faithful Elders from Irom whom w lom we have been Ca called to part during luring year the past year the lie names of Lorin Farr George Geor g a Reynolds John J ohn Nicholson Cl C Charles R Savage Andrew W 1 V Vinberg Amos Milton Musser Samuel V Richards and o others her stand out prominently The he sen welfare of and since the have been faithful and true through all vIcIssItudes obstacles persecutIons and u d ices of these men were devoted to the humanity were engaged in the ministry almost organization of the Church They hardships through which they were called to pass They were pioneers whose spent in coi constant toil and continued labor building 0 cities making ot peaceful habitations lions the lie land cultivating tIC the barren ps ful fill soil until it yielded through rough the blessings of heaven a bountiful harvest and the benefit of their labors is now enjoyed by hy b Y their children Ve We honor the memory y of such men for they were benefactors of their country Then ThelI l i lives were not lived in vain ain neither will still r fail They Thc t he have been faithful in mortality and they y will be exalted in m mY eternity The just shall sit on thrones and be Uc counted among g the noble and great reat who shall shaH rule in i ii 4 f ter i J in conclusion kingdom we admonish the Saints to live their religion to remember their covenants made at the waters of baptism to honor the Lord Lorl and keep His IIi s commandments not to he lie overcome by the follies of the h y p world but to seek the guidance of the Holy y Spirit live Ise at peace with all men magnify their callings keep and improve their lands ands and avoid av i the t Jc restless spirit spi that would woul destroy y their peace pC l of mind and cause caus them to t be tp 6 t i lied fied in the localities ties where they dwell liven honor the priesthood J iL they thc hold seek seck for wisdom and improve their spare c moments mome in doing good and |