Show FIFTY SIXTH ANNUAL conference sixth annual conference of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints convened in the provo tabernacle sunday morning mornine april shortly before 11 on the stand were of the council of the twelve Apostles Franklin D richards Kic hards john henry smith heber J grant and john W taylor patriarch of the church john smith of the presiding council of the sev cities jacob gates and C D fjeldsted there there were also a number of presidents of stakes and many leading brethren from various portions of this and other territories the conference was called to order by apostle franklin D richards who conducted the proceedings the choir sang arise arise with joy survey suney the glory of the latter day the opening prayer was offered by president john D T mcallister of st george stake alter which the choir sang father how wide thy glories shine how high thy wonders rise APOSTLE F D RICHARDS addressed the conference it was very ul that we found ourselves so comfortably situated the good people of provo nad exerted themselves to tit up a place for us to meet in As usual however the place was too small we have great reason to rejoice although we have not so much liberty as for formerly mer we cannot now have the fi first pre presidency lency with us and others who have heretofore exercised their calling in our midst but it is decreed that those who will live godly in christ shall suffer persecution it is just as necessary for us to test such sayings as that aud and as to verify those thas e of a more gladdening description the work of god tall is subject to various changes as in nature the seasons alternate and this is necessary in order to produce the most hap pitying ing re results stilts the adverse circumstances through which we are passing are needful tor for our proper development our spiritual natures are improved by them we should view our present ordeals from that standpoint and acknowledge the hand of god in all things those things that seem the most trying may be sanctified to us as tile the most prolific fic source of blessing this life at most is but a speck in our existence the speaker felt to regret that tile the brethren of the presidency could not be present but bat they were with us in spirit if they could not be here in person the last word received from our worthy venerable and respected president of the church was to the effect that he was in good health and devoting himself constantly to the interests of odthe ithe work of god our oar brethren who hold leading positions arle are some times taunted with being in hiding this is no new situation for foi men of god history affords numerous examples of a similar kind let not the people be seized with the spirit of fear rather hather let them rejoice for a brighter day Is near if we are united those who assemble to hear the instructions given lenwill will be fed with spiritual food the he dawning of a glorious dy day has come the light of tile tae millennium is the horizon ot of bursky our sky it is necessary that we purge ourselves from every evil that we may be prepared for what is in the providence of f god approaching APOSTLE JOHN W TAYLOR complimented the people of provo on the excellent character of the building in which the conference was held he was glad to see that notwithstanding this walk tile first meeting of the gen there was such a full attendance the file meeting the saints were larger and more interesting since the present legal persecutions began this was a gratifying result it wm was a matter of regret to see men renounce their religious principles and their families it was however a matter of rejoicing that so many were so willing to stand by their covenants like men the oppressions oppress ions that were directed against the church were necessary to cleanse it from those who were hypocritical and otherwise unworthy some process had been permitted by divine providence for the same purpose in very every dispensation this lat ter day one had its peculiar means tor for that purpose in reference to our leading men coming forward and accepting of the penalties and humiliation which their enemies were anxious to heap upon them they had to be subject in these matters to the will of god their natural inclinations might lead then them to thus present thim themselves selves to be taken within the power of their enemies but they must be guided by what the alm almighty eighty manifests as his mind upon the subject the first presidency are prophets seers and revelators revelatory to the church were it not so we as a people would be the subjects of a delusion and a snare but we know that this work is founded upon the principle rin ciple of continuous revelation the the holy ghost is the medium of communication between divinity and humanity the scriptures written by the power of that spirit say thata that a wiseman wise man fore seeth an evil and escapes from it the same authority says the fool takes a precisely opposite course noah being possessed of the holy ghost foresaw the flood and prepared against the evil day so with other prophets it is by the power of tile the spirit that a man knows that jesus js the christ it cannot be known by any other power hence paul says no man can say that jesus is the 0 christ except by tile the holy ghost that is he cannot say so truthfully yet tile the people of the world who are religious will claim to be posses possessed sedot ot the holy ghost yet deny the necessity essit or existence ot of prophets nitwit notwithstanding that those who possess that power are prophets while denying the spirit ox of prophecy they claim to have the is the same the testimony of jesus is the spirit of prophecy the speaker here testified to hia knowledge of the fact thattie that the first presidency were guided by the power of the holy ghost being directed by revelation from jesus christ he related a number of instances f furnished ar by the scriptures showing that holy men of various ages and despen lations had bad taken a similar course let it be known that god had revealed to the first presidency that it was well tor for them to keep out of the way for a season those who have the testimony of jesus will know that this is the case for this is their privilege elder H H cluff of the presidency of the utah stake announced that arrangements range ments had bad been made for the people of provo to entertain hospitably the visitors who had come from a distance adjourned till half past one the choir sang the anthem be glad in the lord closing prayer by apostle heber heberd J grant SESSION the choir sang happy the mar man who finds the grace the blessings of gods chosen race prayer by bishop 0 E F whitney lie ile died the great redeemer died and israels daughters wept around was sung by the choir the sacrament of the lords supper was administered to the congregation ELDER B H ROBERTS addressed the assemblage there are many things under existing circumstances to cause us to rejoice in the loving kindness of our heavenly father we can gather strength from our present situ situation atlon there are other things connected with our surroundings however that cause us muan anxiety so far as the final anal triumph of the kingdom of god is concerned there can be no question in the minds of the latter day saints the purposes of god will be accomplished the puny strength of man will be incompetent to cope with the strength of jehovah whose purposes shall be brought to a successful sf ul issue it is not that that is a cause of anxiety with the saints there are things however that should arouse them to more watchfulness to stay the progress of evils existing in the community are A re cent tour ot or the territory under toe the auspices of the improvement societies has exhibited the condition of the young people especially those acquainted quainter quain ted with the young of this community cannot help but admire characteristics te manifested by them The speaker had seen many of them under trying circumstances in the southern M mission 1 it had led him to 10 appreciate their manhood their lack of hypocrisy and guile thousands of them have set their faces as a flint for the maintenance of truth as incorporated in the work of god while their educational attainments may not generally be great yet they possess the characteristics that constitute the foundation 0 of f true greatness this is the case with them as a rule but while the majority of them are of the class described there are still many of them who are not converted to the gospel of jesus christ perhaps the number latter class is greater than many would be willing to admit perhaps the cause of this condition is because sufficient attention has not been given by parents and others to the subject of clearly explaining to them what are called the first principles of the gospel faith baptism by immersion for the remission of sins the reception of the holy ghost temperance virtue charity and godliness those who received tile the gospel in various parts of the earth were plainly and diligently taught upon all those subjects and why bould should not the youth within the church to a larger extent than now those who were indoctrinated trina ted in those principles gathered to these valleys that I 1 in addition to the spiritual advantages accruing f from born obedience to the gospel they might lay a foundation for temporal 0 rl 1 I 1 benefits it is a question whether h 1 r in building up in ties some of the weightier tier matters of the law were not almost lost sight of the promise given through the voice of prophecy was that the saints were to vather gather fir the purpose of being taught in the ways of the lord that they might walk in his paths this regenerative work was to be dune by pastors who should feed the people with understanding tile the teachings given by the servants of the most high had not been acted upon noon with sufficient strictness much is aid s aid about the sacredness of the family relationship lation ship this is a favorite theme with the people of the world yet their family obligations are only formed for time how much more sanctity should be attached to home and the domestic circle by boy the saints than can possibly be connected with it in the minds of others their associations are founded upon an eternal basis the saints are organized from youth to age in various forms for the general weal yet all organizations pale in point of importance before that of home it is there where the young could be the most carefully and effectually instructed jil in the principles of eternal life A grave responsibility rests somewhere upon the subject during the winter months there is a great part of the time when there is no physical employment for the young men they are consequently induced to leave the restraints of home and seek work elsewhere others go into the mines and other places in summer make a little money and return retura to the settlements in winter where they spend the time in idleness and thus lead aimless lives without any proper object ahead of them parents and others should when there is no physical ark for them to perform seek by every available means to induce them to explore the fields of knowledge knowl edse that by wide information the range of their usefulness way may be expanded the speaker dwelt for some time upon the responsibilities resting upon those of all ages who held the priesthood and the results of not discharging the important duties connected with their positions ious lie he read f from rom a revelation in the book of doctrine and covenants showing the displeasure of the lord against idleness the disobedience of children and the existence of the spirit of greediness these evils in the past had caused judgment to fall fal lupon upon the people the position of the almi almighty I 1 aty upon that subject was unchanged the sooner we sanctify our hearts as latter day saints the earlier will the dark clouds now hovering over the cleared away and the sunshine of peace and prosperity beam upon it the saints will be scourged urged and punished by a loving batner in heaven until they are purified APOSTLE HEBER J GRANT was the next speaker he hoped there would be a copious outpouring of the holy spirit during conference when we assemble and alid receive inspiration from god we are better prepared for the battle of life and the performance of all our duties it is necessary to have an appetite for and to partake of spiritual food in order to grow in a knowledge of the truth he could testify with brother Taylor that the persecutions through which the church is passing is having a good effect in stirring the saints up to greater faitha faithfulness bailess tA iless it has ever caused an awakening among those who were formerly lukewarm in the work true some who were supposed to be true have haat stepped aside from the path of integrity but where one has done this many have stepped forward to fill up the ranks of the faithful that the front presented might be unbroken nothing gives a man so much satisfaction as a knowledge that he is walking in accordance with the of duty nothing cr creato eats s greater misery than a departure from that line of action this was exemplified in the ases of those who had bad shrunk from meeting an issue between religion and the world in the courts he did not hesitate to say that those who suffered imprisonment and other similar conditions felt much better than those who failed at the trying moment there is nothing dearer to the human heart than liberty most pro properly Derly constituted men would rather sacrifice life tuan part with it but a love of liberty should not be permitted to extinguish a determination to obey the com commandments ud of god the speaker endorsed the remark of brother roberts regarding the duties of parents to children perhaps the revelation from which he quoted was not given the importance that feces sar ly attached to it brother grant then read further from the same part of the book of doctrine and coven enacts the quotation has special reference to the command of the lord to parents to teach their children the principles of the gospel indicating that in cases where this duty is not performed er formed the sins of the children rest largely upon the parents some people think that children should should not be taught upon religious subjects until they grow to maturity and cau can choose for themselves such surely have not a firm testimony of the truth of the gospel as revealed through joseph smith why should there be any hesitancy about teaching children that which is true young people cannot be expected to grow up and ana bear the fruits of the gospel when the seeds of truth have not been sown in their minds the revelation referred to in regard to children was given as a law to zion and her stakes and cannot be lightly treated with impunity the speaker related an incident wherein a man attended to family prayers when he had bad visitors his child asked him how it was that he only had bad prayers when he had company that was the poorest kind of teaching to that mans children as it taught them that their father was a hypocrite he prayed merely to be heard and thought well of by man and not of god there should be harmony between our professions and practices PREST JOHN D T of st george stake was the next speaker he expressed pleasure at what he had heard and said I 1 hail from the south where there are many living who practice what they preach which is in accordance with the commandments mand ments of god there are some erring ones in that region but efforts are being made to win them back to the fold of christ in representing that 8 take I 1 have to say there is a good people therland there and that the season is propitious the floods of last year set a great agrest many back in their temporal affairs but they have not lost hope fifty miles below st george the growing wheat is |