Show GROWTH OF THE CHURCH I 1 i thirty six years andrix months ago on saturday last the church of jesus jesus chrisi christ oi of latter day saints was organized I 1 with bik blk six members those six individuals hadas had as strong an assurance that the organization then commenced would and endure grow and iacre aud fulfill fulfil the prophecies concerning the mil mii mildo kingdom 1 do m of god as we WO havel havey lab di daiy diy the spirit of truth and the igli 1 of inspiration rested upon them an d they thes could see gee tile the work of the loii loril T in hi lt its glory glor y covering covering the earth embracing embr acin all the honest hearted anio anlo amerig ilg ni mankind uklid and civi giving 1 ug liberty ilber libei ty to the oppressed and down downtrodden arod gen oen egy everywhere whereon on the tile face of the globe from frici prom the first the church has had to endure persecution of no ordinary kind stran that in the enlightened 0 litchi etl eti ninel jath century and ll 11 in this free c iuen luen i ll 11 gil ell and wamen women 0 should be pers parsec utcy for their faith yet so ith it has as been andis 1 to say that such lias has not been nor is tile the case is but poor consolation ationo i those who have summered suffered and endured and aud who are now held heid liel d upa dis lis objects for the public ire to be turned upon the tho tace sace of persecution and wild while contending with the niost lubet 6 1 tile the church iid lia hus has grown and hiarm increased sed iii in an unparalleled lied elod degneo degree in a little over thir thirty tys ty s six m years our mim 0 aee ate traversed the p t 1 tn almos almost every nation on the eartha earthlyn ear car cartha thlin iid lid ild hd gatli gathered ered ored to this thia continent honic ouia fouls oula from froni many countries es durlin duning during facie labors themselves and their fa families milles have been repeatedly drivell driven from their li hommen hornet onles onies robbed and plundered I 1 of their property and h have ave avo been compelled to fe recommence commence life under berthe the the tho most adverse circumstances the churches Church ds a body was forced from froin the abodes of white men compelled to fice flee lutot lib wilderness broke epand up and planted farms darms by themay the way for the tho weary and needy of their brethren who might follow in their track trach opened a path to the tho great west where a foundation was laid laidly mi Dy for a bright galaxy of clayt S ta I 1 y to adorn the na df our Inid un lr 11 and peopled a territory with a population 0 ti lation happy industrious united virtuous aud and beyond auy ilby to be b on oil the earth arth so far as our traveis travels have havo extended wile t 1 considered that all this has 1119 been b ee n done by faith in god energy and perseverance 7 without with 1 out wealth except that created cren cien tew ted by the industry ind of hose those engaged in the th e work vork he must be dull dell indeed or wilfully blind who cannot eco theland the hand of the lord and his ills over rull ruil n i in guiding 0 and di greetin own work in with the saints at italic the present resent etui atul semiannual semi bemi annual conference these and other similar reflections forced them themselves beltes upon ua us they who wiio ashfor a ibel ifil miracle racie connected with the cuccia of can see it before them today in this territory in the latter day baanna and when it is considered how ark prk of god has thriven with the bitterest 1 animosity direct directed od against it by ose who naturally speaking had bad the tho paw 4 r tco fco arry it abild strove to do eo they who now libor to accomplish lehe lede bejin me inight tale take a leon i from the past and futile anh ate are the thie efforts of men when opposed to then thet being in whose hand is till nil the power of all the children of men they hey acy also who wilo love and seek to live the truth call can over oven dra draw w consolation from the past if the founders of tile the work buoyed up by the inspiration of the spirit of god could feel joyous and I 1 assured under the most adverse circumstances knowing that god reigns 0 and that he will wil 1 take care of his work how much stronger reason have the saints now to be even more strongly assured with their past experience added to their present faith and knowledge the fulfillment of the promises of god in the past gives us an all additional assurance if such were needed that those yet to 1 be realized will be as surely fulfilled |