Show MM M caro 1 R 4 M KS S BT HOSTLE APOSTLE BE tour toun DELIVERED at at the general conference on saturday morning april ath 1884 REPORTED BY GEO F GIBBS IT has bee been a said that words fitly spoken are 11 like ilke k e apples of gold in pictures of silver this Is especially true when they are accompanied by the spirit of the lord carrying with them life and salvation to the people there are many subjects that might be dwelt upon which are familiar to the latter latten day saints and which would doubtless yet be appropriate to speak upon in our general assemblies I 1 look dec bec kupon the he past few years and recall principles t that at have been taught to the people but which the spirit no longer seems to inspire the elders to dwell upon and the question arises in the mind have such principles become obsolete are they done away I 1 look forward to the time when we shall be able to speak upon the principles of qunitin uniting this thi people eo p I 1 together in their temp tempora orlas ras Fas iv well weli ert erl a as s their sp spiritual ritual interests far more effectually than we have ever done heretofore united we stand our interests are identified the welfare of the one affects theother theothor and our influence socially financially and politically Is powerful ua for good and is a leyer lever for our own prosperity as well as our own protection disunited we acknowledge our own weakness infirmity is stamped in our every act and in time we pass away like th the e dream of the night vision I 1 do not desire at this time to treat upon the subject of the united order but I 1 would like to ask if the latter day saints think for a moment that that principle Erin principle ciple is done away or that it may be e considered a failure never again to be brought to our notice if such has been the conclusion of any part of this assembly I 1 have no hesitancy in stating for geir leir their information that such is not the case it cannot be so if we weare are ever to answer the design of the almighty respecting the future of his kingdom upon the earth I 1 would sa say further the time is approaching if I 1 am a judge of the spirit as witnessed among the people throughout our settlements from the extreme north to the extreme south when the principle will again be sounded in our cars and the spirit of god as I 1 read it ft in its workings among the people and as I 1 feel eel its operations iu in my own breast testifies to me that when it comes again agag zhe he people will be prepared to receive it t and act upon it as they have never done before it is perhaps necessary in our present state that we shou should d have a certain amount of experience the experience we have had will doubtless be of value to us in the f future when the people will again be called upon to practise this principle and when this time comes in my opinion opinion we will commence at the root 0 of the matter accepting in the spirit and meaning thereof that principle which has been disregarded and shunned by us for many years the principle that lies at the foundation of the greatness andy and power ower to which we are destined to attain I 1 am happy to say that the people rie ele are beino being led to examine their own hearts carts and to ask themselves what they are doing individually towards build ini ing up the zion of god and towards in influencing fencing others to do likewise the spirit that is working among the people le is having the effect of reform as 1 I rave eave have never before witnessed it the Te reformation formation of 1856 ran through the people like wild fire they received it under the impulse of the moment when the spirit of enthusiasm ran high but now there appears to be but little little effort to move the people in this direction at the same time a determined feeling exists amon among the saints to right themselves and that too by commencing at the bottom round of the ladder and then to gradually ascend the hearts of the people are being turned to the lord the men who have of late been addicted to drinking using tobacco swearing and other loose habits are of their own free will discarding their bad habits and thus righting themselves and setting a better example to their children and associates this silent but potent influence that is f fruitful rulaf ul of such good results is signi significant ft to the man or woman that is alive in this world wor and that is watching with interest cn en terest its onward gearas progress rocas ro ess 1 and it comes home to our hearts with convincing proof that the lord is working among the people lb by his spirit and it bios bids us all in its silent and suggestive way wey to prepare ourselves for events that must come and that are arc even nigh at our doors in witnessing the operations of the spirit in the midst 0 oi the people in such a remarkable mannell manner I 1 was strongly impressed with the idea that we as a people ought to be curnin turning our attention in directions looking t to our becoming self seif sustaining sustaining inin g ware we are paying out viry piry very much more than we produce where does the money come from how is it that the families of our workingmen are able to for their use and support imported are tides how long can this people prosper by pursuing such a course the danger of this course has long b been een pointed out by our leading men and sooner or later unless all turn a short corner the condition that we shall place ourselves in will be of such a convincing character that all will readily concede the correctness of the position taken by our leaders in urging the people to become producers and pat rons of home productions this doctrine was taught bf by president young during durin much of his life ilfe ife time but espee especially iring during his later years and it does joes appear to me that we are arc haste ningon on to the point that president young said we should reach unless we became self sustaining namely financial embarrassment in fact his doctrine on this subject act was that we could not stand financially unless we became self sels sustaining it is doctrine that comes home to the heart of every latter day saint it is doctrine that all ali must accept and reduce to practice if we would attain to power acx and influence in the land we must roust become financially strong wealth in and of itself is a lever of power and wealth in the hands hanos of a righteous people must necessarily command an influence for good we must first learn to make a wise use of the means that we possess however little that may be and by continuing to do this we prepare ourse ourselves ves to ma make e a right and proper peruse use of the power that wealth brings but in order to attain the position that we are bound to occupy in the land we must learn to combine our interests interest in such a manner that it will be to the advantage of the whole community to consume and wear that which is produced and manufactured at home it will be by cooperative action that we shall be tied together in temporal matters as we are now bound to together ether in spiritual i ritual things asa As a thoroughly united e people we can the better hasten the work of god I 1 in the earth such is as building temples establishing settlements civilizing the Lama carrying the gospel to the jews and building up the zion of god in these mountains ta ns we shall be the better able to extend a helping hand to the needy to the oppressed and nn en among the nations as well as to protect ourselves from the inroads of wicked and designing men the few minutes to me have expired that god may inspire our hearts to do Hl Hi swill and that all may be willing in thedac of ills his power is my prayer in the name of jesus amen |