Show ID 1 S 0 0 TT T T 1 31 M HY gy PRESIDENT join JOHM TAYLOR DELIVERED at a priesthood meeting ine lne eting held in n the salt lake satu saturday jt evening oct ath REPORTED jonn JOHN IRVINE ft I 1 1 I 1 IT is quite a privilege for us to meet together in such assemblies as this to associate with the priesthood of the son of god which priesthood Is also after the order of and anil after the power of an un endless life it is d great privilege for us to meet together to talk over the things pertaining to the kingdom of god and to reason and re reflect flet fiet upon those things that god has revealed for our salvation in time and throughout the eternities that are to come it is proper that we should comprehend the various positions of men in relation to this holy priesthood and further that we should understand the various orders callings ordinances and organizations associated with the church and kingdom of god upon the earth that we each of us may be prepared to magnify our calling to honor our god and to pursue that course always which shall eursue be e acceptable in ili tile the sight of our heavenly father fattier we are here as jesus was here not to do our own will but the will of our eather rather who sent us ile he has placed us here we have a work to do in our day and aad generation and there is nothing of importance connected with anhof an of us only as we are associated with god and llis lIls his work whether it be the president of the church the twelve apostles the presidents of stakes the bishops or anybody else and we call can only thus be of any service by placing ourselves in a position to act as god dictates us as ile he regulates and manipulates the affairs of his ills church in the interests of humanity in behalf of the living and of the dead in behalf of the world in which we live and in behalf of those who have jiveh lived before ns us abol aad who wiio will live after us we can none of us do anything only as we are assisted guided and aud directed by tha th lord no man ever lived that could adam could not noah could not even jesus could not nor could the apostles the they were all of them thorn dependent upon the iod lod god of israel to sustain them in all of their acts and in regard to adam hImA himself elf eif as we are so was he very ignorant of many principles until they were revealed to him and if the they y were revealed to him they did not originate with him and so it was with odgers others we find that adam was directed of the lord to do a certain thing that is to offer up sacrifices and when the an angel anel el of the lord came to him and said sala adam why do you offer up sacrifices adam replied 1 I do not know but the lord commanded me ine to do it and therefore I 1 do it ile he did not know what those sacrifices were for until the lord I 1 revealed unto him the doctrine of tile the atonement and the necessity of the fall of man and pointed out to him the way and manner to obtain an exaltation then he and eve his wite wile rejoiced exceedingly at the mercy and kindness of the almighty and realized that even in their fal fan they were placed in a position to obtain a higher gloryann glo a greater exaltation al than they could nave done without it now who revealed this to them the lord lorol through the ministering of an holy angel I 1 and in relation to the dealings of god with all of the human family it has been precisely the same we are told for instance that when adam had lived to a great age that three years before his death he called together his als family family that is some of the lead leading ilig 1119 branches thereof who held the holy priesthood mentioning the names of many of the more prominent that had bad received certain pecullar peculiar blessings from the hand of god and there was manifested to him all things that should transpire to his posterity throughout all the future generations of time and aadne he prophesied of these things and also upon those who were ati with kim bim him rested the spirl spirit of prophecy and he blessed them ana and they turned around and blessed him and called him michael the archangel the prince of I 1 reace peace etc tc by what aliat spirit then did adam prophesy and under what influence was he operating at that time we are told in ili scripture that the testimony of jesus is the spirit of prophecy py and ano he in common with his sons who were then associated with him were in in possession of that spirit which enlightened their minds unfolded unto them the principles of truth and revealed unto them the things that would transpire throughout every subsequent period of time who manifested these thin things s the lord who 0 organized r a n 1 zed the world the lord who n made a d man upon it the lord who placed upon it the fowls of the air the beasts of the tile neld held and the lish fish of the sea the lord who sustains all things by his power the lord who controls the affairs of the world the lord to whom are we indebted for life for health and for every blessing that we enjoy to the everi lor lord ile he is the god of the earth and the giver of every good and perfect g gift ift which we nye enjoy and he desires to gather ather together a people eople that will observe his laws trat thit that will keep his co commandments m inand ments that will render ob obedience e diance to his his will that will submit to ills his authority and for this purpose ose in id different a ares ages es of the world fiu flu ha hla haa introduced tia tio ano gospel and has placed man ill in possession th thereof ercol now sow what a about bout the positions of men why it is a good deal as spoken of in the scriptures and in the revelations which have been given to us pertaining gainin to these matters that many have been reen called and chosen and that many were elected and selected to fulfill fulfil certain ofil offices ces it was so revealed to abraham ise ite was told that that there were a great many spirits many of whom were wire noble who were destined to hold bold particular positions among the children ol 01 men and it was said to him and thou abraham wast one of these now there are events to transpire in this day as there have been in other days and we the elders of israel of the church of the living god have to buildup build up the church of god the therlon zion wion of god and the kingdom of god and the church has to be purified accord inc ins to the law order rule and dominion which god has appointed it is not for us as the brethren have expressed aitto receive certain portions of light and intelligence and with regard to other portion 4 follow ane de dres of our own hearts thus laying aside god his rule his ills dominion ann and his authority having begun in the spirit 1 as paul said arc ye ve now made perfect by the flesh no 10 that is the wrong way about but on the contrary we ought to tidd 1 dd to our faith virtue to virtue brotherly kindness to brotherly kindness charity to charity woolliness godliness that we may be full of the ight and life and of the spirit and power of god and approach more closely to the law of god and be governed thereby why are we gathered here to the land of zion this is called the land of zion we are called the people of zion what does zion mean the pure in peart why are a e we ca catherea gathered here one of the prophets in talking 1 about it says sass 1 61 I will take you one of f a city and two ot of a family and I 1 will bring you to zion what then 1 I will give fac them pastors according to mine awn own heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding that is what we are arc here herd hereford for that nat we may be fed with knowledge and understanding that we nye may learn the law of the gospel the law of the zion wion of god the laws of the ein Kin kingdom glom of god and that we maybe may be instructed in all things tending to promote the welfare exaltation and happiness of ourselves our wives our children child reni the people with whom we are associated and the world ili in which we live and act and that we may operate for the benefit of those who have lived and stand as saviors upon mount Blount zion 11 in all this as has been said there is an order we are all dependent the one upon the other the head can cau not say to the foot I 1 have no need of thee nor the foot to the head I 1 have no feea need of thee nor the hand the arm the le leg g to the bodyl bodai have no need of thee we are formed into a compact body according to the law of god in the thu organization of ills his church and it is for us to magnify the callings unto which we are called and unless we all of us are placed under the guidance and direction of the almi aimi almighty aty we cannot do so that is those who do not yield themselves sub subject e et t to 0 the law of god cannot do t that t thing thins but those who yield themselves subject to the law of god can do it and do it quite easily for jesus says pays take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I 1 1 am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest kest unto your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light 19 now if we yield obedience to abod god and to the spirits that tuat dwell within us then will our light become like that of the just that chineth brighter and brighter unto the perfect day but if we do do not yield an obedience to the law aud word and order of the church and kingdom of god upon the earth the light that is within us will become darkness and then as it is said how great is that dark darkness I 1 we see sometimes men of that character they are occasionally referred to as cranks or as the geri gerl germans n aus ans use that term sick they lose the light spirit and power of god and they do not comprehend the order of the church and kingdom of G god 0 d nor do they place themselves in n t the h e way to obtain 1 1 a knowledge of these things th the e first thing they begin to do is to try to pervert the order of god and to nind rind fault with their brethren in the holy 11 loik lolk Pries tho id with their bishops with ot their bishops counselors with the high council perhaps with the presidents of stakes as the case maybe may be or with the apostles or with the girst first presidency no matter which or how or when or where now if these men were walking in the light as god is in the light they would have fellowship one with another and the blood of christ would cleanse them from all sin but when th they begin to murmur and complain to ad nind find fault and to give way to improper influences they give place to the d devil evil eyll and he t takes kes possession just j as fae fas fast t and as far as he can and forces upon them feelings ideas and principles that are at variance with the law and order and word and will tf god what then are arc we here for what did jesus come to do ile he tells us that he came not to do his ills own will but I 1 the will of his father who sent him I 1 how are we to obtain a knowledge of that will I 1 will tell you whai what joseph smith told me I 1 have frequently mentioned it between forty and fifty years ago he said tome to moe roe this elder taylor you have received the holy ghost follow its teachings sometimes it will NOR seem to you as though it was waa hardly tile the right way no matter follow ltd its teachings and it will always lead you right and if you do so it will by anday and by become to ruu you aprin arrin principle cirlo of revelation so that you will 1 know now all things that are necess necessary arv for you to become acquainted with now I 1 know that Is true I 1 know that be he spoke the truth and I 1 would say that it Is the privilege learo of every elder in israel who has grivi as received the gitt gift if t of the holy ghost to follow its teachings what was said sald by oneff one of the old apostles armany As Asa mans many any aa as are led ed by the spirit of god are the sons sous of god follow its teachings teaching st therefore and do not give rive way to your own feelings nor to covetousness to pride nor to vain glory for we none of us have anything to boast of we have none of us received anything but what god has given riven us if we jos Ios possess sess light it lit or intelligence or ora a knowledge knowledg e of the things ot god which we do sofrom firul whence did dd it emanate from god our heavenly father through the medium that ile he has appointed I 1 do not wish to dictate to him the way these thin things thins s shall be done I 1 never did while joseph smith was on the earth I 1 looked to him as a prophet of godana I 1 do not believe I 1 ever disobeyed him in one solitary thing thins that he ever required at my hands and I 1 have been put in some pretty tight places but that was my feeling that was the idea I 1 entertained towards the priesthood of the son of god I 1 have also lived in wards I 1 do not know that I 1 have ever disobeyed the requests of a bishop why because he presided resided over me ine lu in a ward capacity and if he had a right to respect me as an apostle I 1 had a right to respect him as a bishop and I 1 felt a desire to comply with all the requirements that were made of me by any of tl the le proper roper ropen authorities I 1 feel feet and always rave gave have felt the same towards teachers if a teacher carme caroz to my bouse bonse or teachers they generally come two at a time if I 1 happened to be there I 1 have nave told them that I 1 felt happy to meet with them and I 1 caled called to together wether the members ot of my famil family that 11 were ere within my reach and told toly them that the teach ers had bad come to instruct us permit me here to ask have not I 1 a right say as the president of the church or as an apostle which I 1 was for many years have not I 1 a right or my family amilya a right to possess the same privileges iMes th that it others possess and to iriv Eriv have uve ave ite ige the teachers come to inquire after my welfare and that of my family and to see that there is no wrong existing in have not I 1 that right I 1 think I 1 have if they are the servants of god have not I 1 a right to listen to them yes I 1 have and an I 1 feel it my duty to receive them kindly treat tiie tile them in properly and listen to their teaching on the other handchen hand when the teachers got ot through I 1 might give them a little f instruction say as an apostle or as a brother put it any w way al you like ilke that while I 1 and aud my cami family kere vere were receive receiving ng benefits from them it was my duty ou on the oth other erhand hand band to teach and instruct them in ili some ome t things ns that I 1 thought might ml r ht benefi benefit t them rw now these are correct principles in the church and kingdom of god the i teacher occupies his place the priest and deacon occupy their places the elder occupies his place the bisho bishop T his place the high counsels their places the presidents of stakes their and everyone in their fositt position on ought to be hoi hol honored lored the twelve in their ethe first presidency in theil thell place each one yielding proper respect and courtesy and kindness to the otner other and when we talk about great big personages there is no such thing we are none of us anything only as god confers bles bies blessings pings upon us and if ile he has conferred anything upon us we will give him the glory having hiang been called to these positions god expects that we will honor them that we will esteem it an honor to be the messengers of salvation the legates of the skies to the nations of the earth we have a creat areat work to perform both at home and abroad we are preaching the gospel to the innab stants of the earth israel is being gathered home to zion and in zion wion we are rearing temples to the name of the most high 11 god and I 1 will tell you how I 1 feel that as these temples are advancing while we are arc preparing holy places in which to administer thu the tho 0 ordinances of god |