| Show DISCOURSE BY BT ELDER JOHN TAYLOR A at vtha tae tac the funeral services of elder thomas williams in the 0 i ward assembly rooms booms sunday morning july 19 1874 BY DAVID W EVANS we are met this mornin morning to attend to one of those ceremonies that are intimately connected with human existence people generally I 1 feel reflective on sorrowful occasions if 8 ons like the present and there is something about the manner in which this our beloved bro brother thery was taken from us that rather tends to increase Jn crease this feeling of commiseration not for the departed but for his family friends and associations taken away in the bloom of life and health without a moments warning snatched off in the face of his hig family and ushered as asi it were immediately from this world into another state of existence it produces feelings that are more easily imagined than described croix d Howe however verj my ideas in relation to this matter are that SQ so long as we are prepared t to 0 live or to deeo die dle so long as we are living in the fear and favor of the almighty so long iong as we ve are fulfilling the various obligations duties and ies possibilities that devolve upon us it la Is a matter of very little import nilve nilee how or in what manner we leave leavo this world and go into another it is ii I i appointed for man once to die and we can not evade the fiat which fate has decreed no persons have yet been able to avoid the operations and summons of the grim monster whenever his call has hns been made and when we reflect upon the position that we oc cupy upon it is analogous in this tills respect to that of ma myriads of human beings who have existed before in various parts of the world there have been a variety of opinions about the resurrection and about the state of man after death but there has been very little difference of opinion about death itself the my myriads of human beings who have lived upon this earth have all gone in the same way that is more or less some have died peaceably and quietly in their beds others have been submerged in the ocean and drowned far from friends ana and homes some in the tho violent struggles of the battle field and some have departed this life lire after enduring the agony and pain of lingering disease there are phases associated with human existence and the departure of humanity from this world that aro are more moro pleasant than others and we should like generally if we could have our way to make all preparation shave everything arranged and to leave this world bidding adieu to our friends and companions as quietly and easily as practicable NV we a should all like this if we could have our own way about it but we do not have our choice cholee god moves in a mysterious way we are told and the dispensations of providence are inscrutable nor is it a matter of very much moment accordia according to my ideas how or in what way we leave this thia world the great object is and the great questions for us to solve are are we prepared have we framed a union with god our heavenly father have we obtained the forgiveness of our sins sine are we living our religion are arg we keeping ite the commandments of god have we made arrangements range ments for our everlasting associations with beings in the eternal worlds if we have if this is our position it matters but little littie how or when we leave this world that mastbe left for the almighty to regulate and to decide upon god in his eternal decrees has ordained that all men must die but as to the mode and manner of our exit as I 1 said before it matters very little alpart As part of the household and family of god as beings associated with eternity as well as time it behooves us to reflect and that calmly and deliberately upon our present position and our relationship tion ship and standing before god our heavenly father these are important questions for us to solve and if we can solve boive them satisfactorily chenall the nall is right these events that are continually transpiring around and among us convince us of the fallacy of all earthly enjoyments enjoy ments as associated merely with this life no matter what our acquirements acquire ments no matter what hat our talents or abilities no matter what our wealth position or circumstances lu iu life we all have to submit to the same grim monster hence the question naturally comes to our minds why are we thus situated we seem attached more or less to this world we are struggling and striving and grappling I 1 11 and grasping to possess the t things n s of this world of what use are the they now to this brother whose hose lifeless remains lie before us and yet our whole lives and thoughts and energy and talent are generally bent on their acquisition in a short time the body now lying here with I 1 whose face we have been familiar an and d whose company we have en joyed will be ying lying up there enclosed closed in mother earth dust to dust ashes to ashes the worms preying upon his system and his spirit gone into another ancher state of existence Is that which we see here toda timea today to da day w will al 11 be our case in a short time myriads S lyrl ads who have lived before fo r us have havo gone the same way where are the statesmen warriors orators princes potentates emperors philosophers and great men whose names are found upon the pages or of history they have gone gone gone anu and we are all sliding down the plane of time and hurry into eternity this Is the position of all men that ever have lived on the face of the earth Is this our abiding place then Is this the land of our immortal eternal inheritance heri horl tance tancO not until a change takes place and what of the affairs of the earth the baubles tinsel glitter and show the am empty t name and appearance of earthly eart 11 things why just as a great an and very sensible man expressed himself said he c when I 1 am gone you will build a monument over ise ine me and you will write upen it I 1 here hero lles lies the great but if I 1 could rise from hrom the thi tomb and could again speak I 1 would say falso marble where whore nothing but poor and sordid dust lies there 1 so it will twill be with ali alf alfon of us with me with you we shall soon all be in that position I 1 do not care what our hopes aspirations or position in life may be we have all got to go through the dark valley of the shadow of death we have all got to appear before the tribunal or of a just god to give I 1 an account or of the deeds done in the body whether those deeds have been good or evil and in the various C changes h anges that have taken place in t the h a cycles of time as they have re relied led forward and as they will continue to take place what of the earth what of the men who have lived and died and live again aga in and what of us what are our position ideas and prospects ets we believe that god has as spoken p 0 an we believe that light has emanated from the eternal worlds we believe that god has given us revelation for our guide in time tim and to prepare us for an eternal inheritance for this the gospel has been preached for this the elders of the church and kingdom of godsave god have gone abroad for this we have gathered from distant ands for this we build our temples temples and our tabernacles for this we preach and pray daily that tha t god may inspire our hearts with the spirit of revelation that ekau emanates from him and that the holy ghost the spirit of truth may rest upon and dwell within us that when wo we get through gli gil with this time we may be prepared with our progenitors and our posterity to inherit an eternal exaltation in the celestial kingdom of our god and what is anything without this do I 1 mourn over th that at man I 1 no I 1 do not I 1 feel sorry for his family I 1 do not mourn over him not a particle I 1 would not shed a tear over him he was a good man a man who feared god loved his religion kept the commandments of god and walked humbly before him he was a man who was honored and respected by the good respected and honored of god and of holy angels and it is all right with him do I 1 mourn that he is taken away no we would like to have our good men sti shy y among us but perhaps they have fi to do in another sphere perhaps the services of brother williams are required somewhere else there are other positions for men to occupy besides this earth wo we had our existence before we came here we came here to do a certa he has bas done bisand his and gone perhaps god required him and has taken him hinn away all right we will say it is the lord icord let him do what seems him good in regard to ourselves that is another thing that we have individually I 1 and personally to do with it is a allright albright all ali right with him how is it with us I 1 talk to the living jiving to those who are in existence exl exi stene who have their volition and their will who have the power of action and their reasoning faculties and I 1 say unto them look where you will be in a short time and ask yourselves are you prepared ike like him to meet your god and to have an inheritance in the celestial kingdom of god these are the questions that I 1 would ask and I 1 would veula say that no matter what your posit position on what your wealth what your prospects or ideas pertaining to th this Is world they are none nond of them worth wort h anything except sanctified by god G odana and appropriated for the build building g up of his kingdom and the establishment ament of righteousness upon the earth but the question is are we the friends of god Is god our friend are we living and walking in the th D light of his counte countenance ilance do we feel that our spirits feelings and consciences are right rigl before him that we have consciences void of offense offence towards god and towards man these are some of the thoughts and reflections that we have to do with and it is for us to think seriously calmly and deliberately upon these things and to act as wise prudent intelligent beings that we may keep the commandments commandment man mand ments dment S of god od live our religion and obtain an inheritance in the celestial kingdom of god when we shall shail have got through with the affairs of time with which we are surrounded surround eds edi may god help us to be falt fait faithful brul and 4 keep beep his commandments in the name of jesus amen |
