Show uh REMARKS by uy J president danier daniel jr wells welt delivered in the I 1 gre are great a t balt bait lake laae cup cuy april 8 1867 REPORTED ild BY DAVID W EVANS evand lathis is one ona of the greatest days that israel has ever seen in this dispensation and one of the largest congregations i that ever assembled in the capacity of a h conference of the church of jesus christ bf latter day saints the cause which we have espoused possesses pro n bably babiy toda today to da day y a greater degree of pros rp erity than it has ever done from its commencement thus may it ever be from this time henceforth and for fon forever ever i from the commencement of this thia work until the present time we have contina ally aily increased in power and numbers ai hand band and ill id blessings fro from nathe rathe the lord our oun god nandi bandl I 1 believe that tha today toay to day a greater decree gred bf unity dwells in the hearts bearis of the f gopie vople people called nailed latte rd saints than ever before when we look back on the past his hia atory of this people and see seethe the difficult stieg they have had to encounter and chave overcome our hearts should swell with ith joy and gratitude to the benign providence which has brought us to the position we now enjoy As we have nave been blessed and preserved in the f tp past ast SQ it t will elerbe if we will only be true to ourselves and wak walk in the ways of truth and righteousness has not our experience been sufficient in the P past aatto to give us confidence in the future has mas not our faith been increased by the multiplicity of blessings and favors which aich we have received at the hands bands of our ur heavenly father fathers inasmuch as we eulave asked in faith for blessings and have had our prayers answered upon our heads have we not faith falth and confidence to approach our heavenly father again and again to supplicate for blessings most assuredly this is the experience of every faithful saint then let us continue to improve and endeavor to weed from our hearts every evil influence and strive to overcome every besetting sin let this be among our labors in the future beginning with ourselves and then with our families upon this latter point especially let me say bay a word let us provide schools competent teachers and good books for our children and let us pay our teachers I 1 would have no objection to seeing the standard works of the churell church introduced into our schools that our children may taught faught be more pertaining to the principles r 1 n caples bf the gospel in 1 a the juffre future aa than n they are at ht fre present sent and n let iet et one test of nit fit fitness nesson on the part of those who teach be a thorough acquaint acquaintance anea auca 71 with and love for the principles of the gospel which we have received that our children may be taught the principles of f truth and nd belpin berain ed from drom their youth in uhei the nurture and admonition of the lord lohl T t this e be taken in our schools and let us pay our teachers we have those among us who are well qualified for teachers if we will only pay them but the great cry we cannot afro afford rato to for the wages is too low and low as it is we cannot get it when aa earned this is the great difficulty s in this matter anait has always been a crying evil it has no need to be so we should pay our school bills among the flygt first things we pay if we wish to have teach tench teachers ers erg for our children let us sustain them and we should sustain our own publications which inculcate the principles of truth and righteousness in preference to fo any others chich may be brought into our ur midst there are other works that that are good against which I 1 do not hot wish to say anything anthlny but let Us first sustain our owai own worl works which are exclusively devoted to the spread of the principles of truth the lord has undertaken to raise the standard of truth in the earth through the instrumentality of his servants and it is the duty of the saints to sustain those works which have the dissemination of truth for their only object act vye kye we vve send forth elders to the nations of the earth earthy as messengers of salvation to to the people and while we sustain those who go to proclaim the gospel let us also sustain the printed word enough has been said on this subject and I 1 do not wish to recapitulate let us pay our tithing and do all we can to sustain the servants of god and in paying our tithing we should not forget our money tit tithing ug we hear considerable sid erable about hard times so far as money is concerned they who are endeavoring deavo ring the work of god feel fed the pressure as much as anybody else let us contribute our mites to assist if iffe we have not much let us give a portion for that purpose be free and liberal what have we to do but to accomplish com our mission in building up the kingdom of god I 1 know bf of nothing else that is worth the attention of the latter day saints then let us do this with all our faith might and means and be united as the heart of one man in sustaining wha whatever is brought before us by those who are placed over us to lead guide and direct our labors has not the lord fhe the right to dictate the earth and its inhabitants most assuredly he lete has and it would be a great blessing for the people if they would allow him to do so we wv who have come here fiera have said sald we are willing to be dictated by the lord through his hie servants then let us make it our business to be so as long iong longas as we dwell in the flesh the more especially as we expect to rea reap the jhb rewards and benefits that will resu result t from such a course if we exren expect the blessings of heaven we shou should d take a course that will draw them down upon Us for they will most assuredly be ours as fast asat as we can make good use of them if iffe we are only true to ourselves and are faithful to the end our reward will be buch such that we will have no need to complain of it and even while we pass aling through life the course of the latter day saint is more conducive to happiness and peace than that of any other individual on the face of the earth let us not be disheartened heartened dis nor discouraged pou cou raged but press onward in the good work which we have espoused our minds have been lit up with the tho principles of life and salvation and the truths of heaven then let us cleave to those principles with full purpose of heart keeping gods commands and walking blamelessly before him in all things everyday every day of our lives lites we shall thus accomplish our mission in the kingdom of god and eventually be welcomed into the presence of our redeemer which I 1 hope will be the lot of day saint and of every honest soul in the world these are some of my mx feelings I 1 hope and pray that we will all attend to the teachings which we receive from time to time for it is god in his inere mercy merey y who deals them out to usand us and it for us to treasure them up in good and honest hearts to carry them out in our lives and to shun all things that are ommen offen offensive siv in his sight this is the mission of the saints every man can be useful in his day and generation in promoting these principles and if we will be united in 14 so doing truth will triumph in the hearts of the Sal sai saints lits tits and a power for g good such as we have never yet seen will soon be developed and will increase until finally the earth will be redeemed MM sig sin sin 1 of t e W in thailour That lour Jour it 1 blip briggi about this desirable consummation is my prayer in the name nanie of jesus amen I 1 REMARKS cy emer ewer asp aap CIP C I catich nich rich delivered dellver cd in jae rhe debou bowery cry great gau galt lake clay city apra April 8 aw fl 4 AJ s j i REPORTED ty BY DAVID IV W EV EVANS aag a v wn f i v I 1 am glad to benj enjoy oy the opportunity of meeting with t the he brethren and sisters at this conference I 1 am also glad that we have heard the instructions which have been imparted to us the principle of the saints being united is one that we have labored to establish from the commencement up to the present time every saint who has hag any knowledge e of the gospel goppel as it has been res rel revealed to us in these last days knows that thia this principle ilas lias been impressed on their minds from the time they first heard the gospel still with all gur pur labors and exertions in the past we have not yet reached this point and we must continue our labors for for the accomplishment of this object when we are united in all things the lord will be able to use us in very ned deed for the build building up of his kingdom until then he can use ua us only as we are willing to be used we say gay we are the people of god anh and that we are laboring to build up his kingdom but when we come to think of it we only do that which we can persuade ourselves to do we should be willing to do xio everything that the lord requires us to do and even if we are there is still great need for us to improve and progress this has been incumbent upon us from the time we embraced the gospel but more especially at this conference and when we make up our minds individually and collectively to do all things that the lord requires of us it will be a comparatively easy matter for us to do so we do not expect to learn everything this conference boutwe but we ean can make ake ourselves willing to learn righteous principles and we can if we choose adopt them as fast as we leam learn them we are placed under circumstances e where we can apply our labors for the accomplishment of the designs of the almighty here on the earth and ive we ought to esteem esteene this as a very great privilege there are a great many notions and opinions with regard to the work of god and the building up of his kingdom on the earth eaith we have received the everlasting gosp gospel efrom from the heavens it found us in the various nations of the earth and und athas it has gathe gathered redus us to this place for the purpose of establishing t the he principles of righteousness and of bu building ming up Kingdom the of god on the eart earth As we have heard this afternoon and on many other occasions the gospel we wa have obeyed embraces all truth on earth and in heaven we have not noi no to emigrate to some other world to io find truth we find it where we are it is taught to us faster than we are willing to receive and practice it and I 1 can bear testimony that it has ever been so we have never had to wait to know what was the right course for us to pursue labor for the building of the kingdom of god has been the counsel given to us continually and when we have been called upon to perform er or any labor no ilir ecklon matter in what direction it has been with that object in view iview I 1 have been reflecting a little in relation ti 1 on to the state of society which would soon be in existence if the counsel given from this stand this conference were to be observed we would soon find a great deal more peace love and oneness among the saints aan lan than have existed in times past and if we ever expect to be one we as a people must adopt in our lives ines those principles that have been and are continually taught us ils by the servants of the lord f if f we ever expect to have hake heaven we must adopt those principles that will make heaven forus for us we nave have had the gospel gopel revealed to us from the heavens for the purpose of bringing about that state of things here that exists in heaven and it will most assuredly result in this if we will faithfully observe its principles A faithful adherence to the principles of the gospel will cure all the evils we now endure where difficulties exist with individuals or communities we would find if they were traced t to 0 their source that they exist simply because the principles of the gospel h have ave not been adopted and applied it is th this s labor that lies before us to clearn learn the pr principles hig Ill rieso of U sal sai ovation andio pa our lives this will remove ohp evils egils we to encounter about union and happiness and no matter where our lot may be cast will make for us a heaven upon earth this is a joyous labor and julid one in which all should unite with an wavering unwavering tin determination de iti dic dir by so doing we will sustain those who preside si deover over us and our effort swill most effectually tend to buildup dom of god on the earth how can this kingdom be bunta unless god dictates and howlan how can we labor to serve him unless ile he dictates us and how will he do this he will wih do it as he ever has done b by and flir through ough his servants whom ibe iye he has mis placed at our head in this thib way we can reunited be united in building up gods kingdom and in moving forward his work on the earth this is a very great privilege the possession of which confers upon us great honor and blessings when the whole people are united in and live continually according to the p principles ples pies of the gospel in all things e evils vils and difficulties will vanish from their midst like snow before the rays of the sun and soon the knowledge of god will cover the earth as aa the waters cover coven the deep W 4 i we have yet much to learn but I 1 often think that we can do more for the spread of truth and the advancement of the work we are engaged in that we imagine we can read of individuals among the ancients who performed wonders on the principle of faith they subdued kingdoms wrought righteousness obtained promises stopped the mouths of lions and performed many nany wonderful works can we not do something on the principle of faith calve canve can oan we not have power with god as well as the an ancients cleAts if we labor continually to carry clerry out his designs I 1 am satisfied that if we all go home and carry out the j bi principles which have been taught to tib us during this conference we shall soon see fie happy results flowing there 4 i a responsibility resting upon Us all BO so to do and we should discharge that responsibility honorably before god aldach other by following the counsel given us during this conference our u union peace and best interests will be gr greatly e atly advanced and forwarded s severe severo evere evero indisposition prevented me from being present at last fall conference but I 1 am thankful that I 1 am present now I 1 always rejoice to be atcon fe ference rende or at any meeting with the saints I 1 love to see and talk to them and mad I 1 love to hear others talk and I 1 love to use my influence to mave forward and build up the cause of zion and to establish righteousness on the earth we all ought to cultivate this kind of feeling and principle we never need be afraid if we are doing right but fear only to do wrong individuals ard are apt to think sometimes that if they do a wrong no person in the world knows it but themselves but it is known also to god and if a wrong is known to god and to the one who commits it his influence with god is destroyed and it lowers him in his own estimation suppose for instance that a person wants a favor of president young but he has done some wrong that is known to the president he cannot ask that favor with any confidence butu buts his head heild is cast down and he feels condemned because of the wrong he has done how much more bore more is this the case when seeking blessings from the lord we should think of this in our course through life I 1 we should also remember that the theT thetford tora mora Lord bord I 1 has said that inasmuch as ye do it to one of the least of these my servants ye do it unto me when we apply this principle to thour bur conduct strictly and properly we shall feel that we do not want to injure any body or do anything wrong and injuries and wrongs will fast disappear and |