| Show fifty THIRD ANNUAL 0 CE the fifty third annual conference of the church of c jebus jeans christ of ietter latten day saints met in the abb aee assembly embly hall on fridays friday april 6 1883 1833 at 10 a am ma as aa per adjournment journ ment present on the stand of the first presidency john taylor george Q cannon add avd joseph F smith of the apostles Ap ostlee allford wilford woodruff Tj lorenzo Ji orenzo enow Snow JE Erastus rastus snow F D richards richarde Ki charde albert allert carrington F M lyman moses thatcher Tha aha teher and george teasdale Counie counselors lors daniel ii wells and john W young patriarch john smith of the first seven presidents of seventies henry herriman jacob gates gateb WW tay lor seymour B young and abraham H cannon of tho the presiding dins bishopric edward hunter leonard W hardy and robert bobert T burton besides a large representation of the leading members of the church from the distant stakes of zion conference wes web called to order by president john taylor the choir sang bang the great reat and ana glorious gospel light hu has ushered forth unto onto iny my bight sight prayer by elder F M lyman the choir eang come listen to t 0 a prophets voice and hear the word ot of god PRESIDENT jonn joun TAYLOR said that although we might be crowded in this ASP embly hall owing to the dampness of the tabernacle it was deemed advisable to hold the mornings meeting metting mee met ting in this thia building pres pren DENT WOOD RU said sald we need tha spirit of the lord in every capacity we v are called to act ins in whether in preaching or administering in the ordinances of the gospel governments which are a benefit to mankind acknowledged and protected the rights ol of their citizens citizen men are recognized in their landed pons fons lons why should not the rights of god who la Is the creator of all be acknowledged there have been some bome of hla his children who have bave been willing to acknowledge the rule of god but such auve have been comparatively few many wars were fought prior to the supremacy of rome for the politic icil il power but since that time riveka of blood have been shed in the name of religion the lord has raised up many men to accomplish his purposes though they themselves might not have been aware of this even the warriors cra of the ages have been raised up by him when a people became wicked and corrupt the lord chas thed them this hasteen hai has been particularly illustrated in the people whom the lord has chosen as his own kingdoms having been raised up to chastise his people fer their transgressions then the lord smote those who had his people in their turn there never havo have been as many jm ind portent revelations given at any pre time as in our day all the keys and blessings of every dispensation have been restored through the prophet joseph who was a literal descendant of that joseph jos eph who was sold into egypt many of the saints now living were personally acquainted with joseph smith and can testify to the truth of his testimony and the validity of his hla calling the setting up orthis of this king dom and its ultimate triumph were shown in a dream to zer and the interpretation ws was wat t given to daniel we are living in the time referred to and there never was a kingdom ofas of as great im artance as the one wo we are now laboring to establish joseph joeeph smith labored in the ministry fourteen years and received during that time all the keys ordinances and priesthood that have ever been upon the earth dearth arid then I 1 after passing falth faith rk tully fully through a life cf 0 trial and per 1 bee be cution for the gospels goo cieli bakes bakey he maled his hi testimony with bis blood but he left the church the kingdom the zon zion of god and the authority to continue the work he began the e principles pies piea of good and evil are placed laced before b fore us that we w may a cb choose e w which ich we prefer but we s should ouid realize that god and anahis bia bib power are greater than satan and the power of evil god will establish his kingdom and will accomplish lish 1 all that haa has been predicted by ph t nhe the e holy prophets tR god did not create this earth and people it for the devil to posses land laud rule over he will build up cp his own kingdom and redeem israel the jews and his bie lints it requires a great deal of faithana falth faith hand and labor on the pare of those whom the lord has hab rad raised up and gathered gath ered here to accomplish thle thie but cd cad has raised up and will ralfe ralpe up men and people to accomplish a c com his work men M en were known aud and called to positions of prominence the saints areef are of eph raim and re called to build up the latter day zion though there seemed to be a se of those who were on the lords bide alde yet when the gospel was sent forth it attracted the honest from all nations prom from the beginning this work has con tin tinned aed to grow and it becomes more and moe difficult for the wicked to prevail as time I lasses asses brother joseph F smith has haa remarked tle te only time satan had any chance to overturn this work was on the day it was organized this kingdom had been set up never more to be thrown down but will continue to progress until zion shall be built up and become the clory glory and beauty of the whole earth the saints have been tried and proven even unto death and if they are not willing to do thil thib they will not be ba worthy to associate with those who maee made these aracri nets nees anciently jesus laid down his ilia life for the truth his apostles with one exception died violent deaths many of this people have lost ther their lives in this cause he la Is satisfied sat bat wl w h their integrity to in this regard nor do I 1 believe this people will be required to shed the blood of the wicked but the lord will fight night our battles aud and cause the wicked to slay the wicked that the hand of this people may not bo be stained with the blood of their fel but the bents will go forth and labor in tho term temm pica ev ear r since the principe principle of patriarchal marriage mar flage hz been leen published blushed to the world this peoble pele have continued to prevails pra vall vail ana htwe will keep the commandments of gaa ho he wil take care 0 otus ofus us AI of the laws and ordinances of the gospel are eternal in their nature and all ali ane the holy priesthood aie ale recognized li ia heaven we should le be cadieu bow how we use our positions we should not t complain of a man wan called to pre ilde over us while god sustains him I 1 am willing to do so I 1 can ran maure absure the saints of one thing that theford the tho lord will not allow any man who presides over this church to lerl leri thib this people astray I 1 know that god is writh president tay taylor lor and his counselors and N s leading them right I 1 would sustain a man in any position no matter what his youth orage just as long as the lord sustains him there is more union among the leading authorities now than there was in cur early history and thio this principle is spreading abroad we should sustain those over us ua in every position and all be careful to sustain tain each other the powers of the priesthood can only be exercised in righteousness and cannot be used need to pull down or oppress our brethren this has been illustrated among this thia people in times that are past we must beware of jealously and prejudice we should be careful to observe the laws aws and comm ind us labor in the temples for the fed red redemption emption of the living and dead let us avoid bicker ings and fault finding let us keep gods commandments gayour tithing and all our duties let us remember our they as bend into the ears of the lord nord and he be will be ba with this people and they wiil will accomplish all that has been them those who were the in this cause are passing away but others are being raised up to fill their places I 1 feel to warm warn all people to beware of the way they deal with this people for those who rise up against them shall not prevail prevails but hut will broken and scattered while zion will roll forth and nil fill the whole earth it therefore behooves us asto to observe all ali the laws andor and or finances din ances of the gospel and the lord hord will not forget his promises we will build thebe these and complete them and attend to the work to be done therein fill fili up these of the mountains and attend to the duties required of us OB we are making a record and will have to meet it when we so 90 to the other side bide of the veil may god hep help ustate us to be faithful and true to the end ELDER eider JACOB GATES it Is s a privilege and a blessing to attend of this kind I 1 have been teen in the church for nearly fifty years have been acquainted with the leading authorities of the church have passed through thi the many vicissitudes that they have endured and I 1 never have been seen anything to change the testimony that I 1 received when I 1 embraced the gospel I 1 desire to so BO live that I 1 may be one with them an n time and eternity I 1 ask aek nothing better I 1 have prayed that I 1 might be preserved from shedding human bloo dand I 1 am glad that god has decreed that the wicked shall slay blay the wicked I 1 dont care how bow mean they are who do this but it is not a work for saints the priesthood is thet that power by which the gods and by this power the purposes pur poses potes of our father will be accomplished complis hed the wicked will be removed just as fast as the righteous grow as the book of mormon says bays the bitter branches will be taken away as the good ones increase according to the revelation we must become very numerous and very terrible and the world will fear this people because of the power of god which will be with them as was the afee with enoch and hib his city what need have we to fear when we consider the promises that god has knade made concerning his hib kingdom and coming many great and end important events are crowding upon us the saints have passed through many privation privations 92 but god hns has been with wi thus us and has marvellously marvellous marv ellous jy pre served and blessed up ue overruling those things that have been designed for evil for our good so it will be in the future if we are faithful was prospered when they served the lord burthey but they have been scattered and smitten by their enemies when they forgot him but as israel hab has been scattered eo will israel be gathered again and as fast as the good grow the wicked will be removed god has decreed that zion shall bhail be built up according to the prophecies of ancient and ard modern times elder gates bore a strong testimony and exhorted all present to steadfast nees ness and integrity in the gospel PRESIDENT henry HENKY HERRIM AN I 1 was very anxious to come to this conference and ft el to thank god for this privilege and opportunity I 1 know that the words which have been spoken during daring this con Cun conference ference ferenee are tha tho words of life and I 1 know by my natural senses and by the revelations of god to me that thid this is the work of god glod and that it will spread and grow until it shall prevail over the whole earth preparatory to the coming of our lord let us seek then to enjoy the spirit of the lord that we may understand the will of the lord and have strength toper to per pen form it the lord is pleas pleased edwith with the unity ond faith of this people I 1 knew before I 1 left my home honne in the south that through the faith and humility of this people the lord was baffling their ener enemies and I 1 know that he will continue to do so eo it if we will keep his commandments meeting was adjourned till 2 pm in the largo large tabernacle the choir sang the anthem sing ye Jehova Je hombs hs fraise praise benediction by president joesph joseph P F smith friday 2 p m the conference assembled in the large tabernacle as per adjournment the choir sang 0 0 jesus the river riven of gt all we enjoy our lim lives to thy honor bonor we wish to employ prayer by president george Q cannon the choir sang zon zoa stands with bliss surrounded zion kept by power divine ELDER SNOW said I 1 desire to express my gratitude for the prayer offered up in my behalf that I 1 may be able to continue my labors among the people of god for sometime some bome time my health has not been of the beyt beat and I 1 realize the truth of the remarks of elder woodruff in reference to the passing away of the more aged of the eldera from my youth upward I 1 have witnessed of this work and the fulfillment fulfilment of the 1 f word of the lord to his servants ger eer the lord has had his hia eye upon this american continent as the place where whet e he would perform his greatest work on tb this Is land he etab established the city of enoch here noah nouh preached to his hia generation and here the lord will build again his zion and appear in his geoly in his own marvellous marcellous marv ellous manner he has haa been working among the nations to bring to pas his pur purposes moving among the oppressed of many lands whose minds were reaching out after more light truth and liberty to gather upon this continent and struggle for human free freo freedom dom eom they sun bun feied greatly until they learned to appreciate liberty and detest misrule and tyranny they burst the shackles that bound the human boul soul and broke theyone the joke yoke from their necks the lord guided them to a successful issue and direct directed eu the wise who and patriotic fathers of our country until they framed the gr grand nd system of government under which we live the best form existing or that ever hns has existed among men save it may be that which god directly revealed to the patriarchs it is best calculated to promote religious and political freedom and maintain the rights of men than any other on banh earth bat but it contains its own imperfections and therefore cannot endure ii lur r ever in a revelation given to the whole people in the early days of the church they were instructed to maintain the constitution and beek seek for wise men and good men to promote its principles read read bead from doctrine and covenants page I 1 deem it of much importance that these principles should be impressed Impress impre esad ad upon the minds of all the latter day saints and especially pec lally ally within the pale of this government to implant in th the hearts of our children a veneration fo right rights and band a desire to become acquainted with the constitutional jaws laws of the land that they may apply them for the benefit ol of all gho who come under their influence also for the putting down of oppression oppre salon and the evils that afflict mankind god has designed this government to aid in the establishment of his church and kingdom on the earth and the furtherance of hla his great purposes pur puy pores 2 As long as the people maintain virtue and integrity he will sustain it and at no time will the latter day saints stand justified before goj gol in opposing thebe principles or caits ig to defend them nyi alever some bome may have thought odthe of the evils offal of and the endeavors to war against us by factions in this country we must muse never charge any of these things to the system of government embodied in the con ution we must attribute it to the ignorance or corruption of vile politicians godhan god has hab promised to defend our cause canse and that the wicked shall not have power over us last october we had the blessing of the word of the lord to this effect through president john taylor at a time too when the demagogues and political quacks were forging fetters for our feets feet making yokes for our necks and seizing the whip to lish us while they rejoiced over our expected discomfiture we have waited calmly and |
