| Show lp tsi J A IS it IN 3 S w bai zia 2 predent Pred GEORGE A smith d eledred delivered in the new yew sait sail akef akes city cuy 1869 1669 t t t n 1 I BY DAVID nr Ey EVANS uNs u al ff I 1 1 1 I ani am glad my bretha brethren en ana and sisters 0 meeting 1 I 1 I wit with hyou you again in jn jid I 1 eral rall co conference hf i err our form a ture in idour our history and andalio tile tilo people tn in all paris parta of f th Terri terni territory toy look forward to these occasions with far more than ordinary in terest and make calculations to participate therein tho past six months have been a period of remarkable interest there has been a marked advancement in the progress of the work of the lord and a great in increase creaso and J in the and f elings feelings of the saints since our oun last con conference perhaps more so than in the sanie sanio saini seabe space of time at any period in the tho his fo ij of tho the church sinco its organization abo cho 0 saints are becoming more moro united in their business relations and in all their associations socia tio n s for the purpose of accomplishing the work that is before them and if the old adage union is strength 0 be e true we are og oar car finnly f growing grov groT ving stronger 0 tho the teachings during this conference 01 as a matter of course have a tendency increase this union to enlarge the un and judgments of the saints ana an and ai d to banish certain antiquated ideas y which more or less havo been woven into 1 mir min our oun being and have formed part of our ex istance enable us to freo free ourselves from the shackles of tradition and igno ignorance rance ranco and to move forward more effectually in the discharge al of those duties devolving up on us in connection with the great and glorious rio cio 13 work which god has entrusted to our charge charie it will also be necessary for us to take into consideration the different points pertaining to the progress of tha that work it I 1 wa was a saying of joseph smith amith that he taught the people correct principles and they thoi Rd governed vernea verned themselves A feeling has een cea engendered and nd sent abroad that the tife latter lafter day oay saints ard are ane subject to hon bon bondalee bondage darlo dalle but instead of this bein being g so they aro arc con trolled strolled wholly on the principle to which I 1 I 1 hav bave ejust just referred as having been enuncio r at edby joseph they are aro taught correct principles and then govern themselves when whee the elders of israel havo have succeeded in informing C the minds min ds of the saints in relation to any topic pertaining to the work of god in the last days they havo have accomplished a great work and that work is followed by a feeling of willingness and obedience to carry out that principle plo pio on the part ant art of the great mass of the saints last year we made an effort to brin bring homei home the saints from the old oid world and a pretty strong emigration was tho the result it will ii ill lii be remembered that when the mat matten matter ti r was first agitated it seemed as if there thero was but a small amount of means to be obtained many of the brethren in the wards bards felt that they could do but little but they went to work and brought brough home thome some five thousand saints this same work jis s still before us ais and appeals to our oun sympathy and wo we still have occasion to call the attention of each eaph other to the importance of the work of bringing home to Zio nour brethren and sisters in foreign lands who are deprived of the privileges 0 that we enjoy because IM of their inability to gather an appeal p Is s to be made from this conference to tho the saints generally throughout the territory contribute again of their thein su substance betance to br brili bring iii ili home the from foreign lands i the facilities for gathering the saints are far for greater tha th aith alth 4 leby sy have been boon heretofore we wish to of those who are al all ali i reasy reads maybe may way be indebted to those who are ibid aro left tc hind blat at they should rc xe 19 meir melr dav dev ind dobli obligations 9 actions at ions lons we also aiso tho the saints saintani h to 0 write irio i irlo rio to their friends inform things aro are progressing here hore I 1 01 avaro that when thae tho the people land heno hero there thene iuro juTo many with v rth thi ich to cold colA contend end ana they have to ald gib for p time before thoy they can agan again inao inae a attari 4 u the world but they should not on thatah have lave left behind and especially those choso may madhav dalean tolda thih the m emigrating ne of io ur first eat cat 4 j 11 1 i af 4 W 7 1 ap I should bo be to square hag and to stand honorably Y with our fellow belil beings s although a great advance has been mado made within the last lasi two we the observance of the word of wisdom there is yet room to talk on that subject wo find that the tobacco trade i is s still very consider considerable ablo abio inthis in this territory and we cannot yet jet gose lose Jose sight of the fact that wo we aro are compelled to pay a tribute to the emperor of china for tea and to the emperor of brazil for coffee and there are still men in israel who do not r seem to realize the importance of observing the word of wisdom it Is therefore necessary to preach teach and exhort and to enforce upon the saints faints the tho importance of its observance for it is preparatory to great blessings which god has in store for the faithful the elders will instruct us in relation to these matters as the spirit of the lord may dictate it has been my p privilege riv I 1 clegge this last month to visit most of the branches in the thi southern part of the tho territory at a largo larg go portion of those branches I 1 have havo attended meetings P and haye hayo seen many of tho the brethren and sisters and I 1 feel to testify that in all my travels in zion I 1 have not found a better spirit a more united uni itea determination or a warmer feeling with regard to the tho work of the tho Lor lorland dand to build bu iid ild up his 1 I found on this visit I 1 felt thankful to leam that our brethren in tho the cotton country were filled with tho the spirit and weno were zealous for the accomplishment of their work and that they were progressing very satisfactorily in the accomplishment of their mission or at any rate that portion of them who have taken hold of it with tho the zeal which becomes men mentho who are honored with the privilege 0 of laboring 0 in any department for the building up of zion the tho tes of the work of the lord in the hearts of the saints is a living and abidin abiding ct testimony while whilo the work is pro progressing gressing wemusa be alive to the fact and we must not get behind we must be faithful live humble before tho the llord lord observe his counsels and laws not even forgetting tho the principles contained in inthe the hordof word of wisdom if we take this course cours q the blessin blessings gs of life and peace will continuo continue to abide with us which in may god grant the name fiame of jesus amen I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 |
