Show REMARKS by br E eider elder ider lder LORENZO sanday r av NOW tabernacle sanday sunday bler bier Bi ernin ning april 7 BY J V longi LONG 1 it is a matter of rejoicing to me brethren and sisters that I 1 liae ilae nate the privilege of oc assembling heie in a cor cof conference ference capacity contemplating the growth groth of the kingdom atthe of the almighty shih shi h has been upon the thu earth for the past 31 years and consider coh con nie ule the progress that this thia people lave bave made in knowledge power and intelligence to together nether in this capacity from time to time tune twice in a year we hav hai have hale e alwa always ys the sanie banitt privilege after considering the past antl anel seeing the improvements that we have ma made badeas deas as a people and as individuals it is a matter of importance to us to cem consider sider ourselves to see whether we are making such progress as is required of us to learn it we are keepin keeping pace with the times and the improvements that are ale being made by the leading men of the church tu to find out whether we as individuals are jil proving in the principles principle of the gospel pompel whether we e are improving in the practice of righteous and holy principles pies and whether we e are gaming in el knowledge wisdom virtue and anti getting a moi mol e full understanding of how tu to make oui selves happy and thus thua prealie ourselves for that bit sit si ution tulion that we expect to occupy in iri fluture As has been said by our president we can clearly see the rapid improvements and adi vances that this people are making from year to year it is a pleasure to us and we ought to feel grateful to our heavenly father for ton the strength that has haa been given t to this people in consequence of the u union the he knowledge ed e and wisdom that we are continual y gaining we can easily se the improvements improve ments menta that I 1 the people are making it is like the la ba bu be that passes from a state of infancy ircy to chilt chih boid hoid and thence to man manhood bood hood you cannot tell the particular moments of its growth and increase in stature you cannot point out the particular tay lay hour or minute in which 11 il increases but you are all the time per perfectly aware that it is gaining growing becoming greater reat e r continually it is precisely so io in regard d t to 0 ourselves ritually spiritually pi if we are joing 0 o our duy duly though t we cannot point out tila the moment the day 0 or r the particular time when we ue receive the tiie increase of knowledg knowledge e wisdom wisdon or power yet ve e know and feel conscious as we vve reflect back thi the we have gained th ahn ia i A is 13 a blessing and for this we should tee leei teel deeply grateful to our heavenly hean enly eniy father we are ara where we vve want to make ourselves happy and the nature of the objects around us are suc sue suo as to cause us to bear some fruta fru t be it cooil gooi booi or bad oad sweet or sour we are in the world but vve vre A we ave ve are we do not knott linow what will male make us happ bapp or whether we vve will vall leneive what we anti antu pate we know little or nothing about thee things we seek happiness and alid that will make us comfortable but we do not dot really understand whit will make us happy for time and happy harpy for eternity the priesthood has been restored it has hai I 1 been bestowed upon man that through 1 that me mc who would like tobe to be good ud ha might have the privilege the gospel tells ui how to br be great V good and haary the spirit of the gospe dospel I 1 of teaches all things that are necessary for our present and future avei avel wc fare we have these theve objects in view to day and antl we should continua continually hy keep tham them before us look back for twenty five year or look back haik ten tiie tile years yeara ears only and a great maray mary have been in the church that length of timp time aid arid ard see what we ive hac f nei ati s I 1 W vi v 0 az o fr L are betteli bett elt eit elj r lp red rea fy the things s that arel ar t C coming 01 op on the earth wen werf e ten fifteen twenty op uye uve years ago ao ii know how to be useful to know how t to 0 do things as ther thee should he be done A man may be a very good man and yet not have wisdom to do things right but we have got fot the spirit that will enable us to know now how to put them thein in the best channel so that they will be the best calculated to roll on the kingdom of god to make us haply happy happy and prepa prepare r e us for the scenes that lie lle lle ile before us Is not the gospel a good thing Is it not worthy of a man 4 his substance and even his life to gain the blessings that are promised to the faithful in israel the man who has the priesthood who is filled with the holy ghost is to be guided arld anid dictated by it in the way of happiness and life it is very necessary for us to have these things laid before be tore fore us frequently that we may be put in remembrance of our duties the organized zed spirit which god gave us is the one which conceives through the revelations that are given from on high the nature and the character of tho those s e Leac teachings hinos bings that come from the priesthood are ale such that we comprehend them the spirit manifests them unto us as they are by it we learn our duties ditties to god and man we are taught a by it to shun the evil and cleave unto tin to that which is good we understand this if we are in the path of duty it is not miracles that produces within us that living faith of which prest preat young so frequently speaks but we learn the nature and character of our religion we learn that which is calculated to enable u us 3 to shun all evil power and to make us ila lla happy ap ahen when a man receives knowledge he is prompted to impart it to others when a man necomes becomes happy the s spirit r it that surrounds him ili iii teaches him to strive to 0 make others baysy it is not so in the gentile world if a man attains to any import important ad position he does not strive to elevate others to participate in the same blessings in this respect there is a great difference between the latter day saints and the world of mankind tile the object of the priesthood is to make all men happy to di diffuse us e information to make all partakers par takers of the same blessings in their turn Is there any chance of a man mait becoming happy without a knowledge of the gospel or of christ A man may make mak the thunders roll the flash but what has that to do with making a man happy nothing though in the world they try to make themselves happy still they are not successful in what they strive to accomplish they cannot be happy except upon one principle and that is is i by embracing the falness of the gospel which teaches us not to wait till we get into eternity before we begin to make ourselves happy but it teaches us to strive here to make maire ourselves and those around us rejoice in the blessings hills of the almighty ah this Is then should be our aim and object to learn team to make ourselves useful to be saviors to our fellow man to learn how to save them to communicate to them a knowledge of the principles that are necessary to raise them to the same degree of intelligence that we have wr mu selves men may be very good and yet they may not be very wise nor so useful as they might mi ht be but the gospel is given to make us wise and to enable us to get those things in our minds that are calculated to make us happy the time that we have to meet together here and compare ourselves with the principles of our profession is a great blessing we iye are a territory we have our own government ern ment we have our own dispenser of light and knowledge who is supported by our united faith and the spirit within us teaches us to sanction their proceedings and how bow to walk in the path of life I 1 dare say that some of us do not sufficiently reflect upon the good things that are in our minds neither do we have that gratitude that we ought t to have to our heavenly father I 1 see some of my brethren around me who hold the holy priesthood that has descend descended ad out of the heavens in these theae last days I 1 behold their faces multiplied around me I 1 see them appointed to become saviors among men to be always on OB hand to officiate in the priesthood they are destined to become saviors on the earth rulers amono among among the children of men to teach mankind hofto how to increase in the principles and likeness 0 of deity how to ini crease in those principles of power that will i enable them constantly to ascend in the path of eternal life to be like the child that grows when in infancy inra ncr gradually increasing in the knowledg knowledge e of god this is the condition ta io which they are placed if they are pire aati acting in i n their proper positions sit ions and if they are up upholding and sustain ng ing those who are in our midst and who are appointed to lead ud guide this people to eternal life and exaltation we may increase in knowledge and power and in our ability to build up the kingdom of god upon the earth and that too by our diligence our humility and faithfulness to the covenants we have made we do not require miracles to enable AS 3 to perform the duties dutle of today to day we know from defending defending the teachings ot of the servants of gidd that we are right that the spirit aiom f i om on high 11 accompanies us we know that xe HP are right aa well as the lord does how do we know this because deity ig within us an i 1 that S spirit it ot of deity that is within us teaches us that we are the sons bons of go god d it teaches the sisters that they are the daughters of god and by it we are all taught that we are tha children of our father in heaven therefore we know if we vve are in the line of vur duty duly fir t r the spirit ot of the gospel teaches every rn man n who ives in the his bis at butyl th that at he 11 e is is in in t the he pa of rj liht ht and alid so it does eve every g lv woman oman by I 1 he knows knows bile is walkin waikin walking I 1 in the path truth and life it is this spirit spirl i which teaches the sisters as well as aa the breth ren the right from the wrong and she has a perfect right to know the truth of her religion to have a knowledge for herself that the principles of her profession are divine Is there anything wrong or mysterious in this no it is because she is a child of god and therefore she is is capacitated to know as he kilmus knows to comprehend the of her religion its divine origin and its tendency onward and upward this is a good and a glorious principle and we vre are uniting ourselves together and continually striving to form a nucleus of power and gettig round us that support that will endure for ever and we will stand shoulder to shoulder and break in pieces and subdue that which would strive to overcome us and then plant the principles of righteousness over all the earth this we will accomplish for it is given to us to to lo and this is the period in which it I 1 is to be done and we will do it we will gird up our loins and rejoice in the work given unto us an I 1 in creating constantly around us that which will enable us to increase in wisdom in expert experience ence and in the knowledge of god brethren and sisters short sermons is the doctrine of the day therefore I 1 say the lord bless you and I 1 bless you with all the power that I 1 possess prest young blesses you his counsellors coun bless you the twelve apostles bless you the seventies bless you the high priests bless you and we all bless bac each h other and hence we are a blessed people inasmuch as belive we live ilce for each others good and the building up of the kingdom of god brethren who can overcome over come us who can place a stumbling block in the way of our feet as we are wending our way to celestial glory Is there any need of tears no not much need we have any fear of the result no there is no need of crying and mourning for we are the saviors of men appointed to be the kings and queens of the earth we W cannot always do what we would like to do ant we shall have the power to do that which we should do the lord will give us the power to do this the lord bless yon yom amen |