| Show GENERAL conference the sixtieth general annual conference df the church of jesus christof christ of latter day saints sainte convened convene at 10 am friday april ath 1890 in the tabernacle salt lakee lake city ty president wilford woodruff pr presiding asid there were on we the stand eland of the first presidency wilford wool woo I 1 ruff and george Q cannon of the council of the twelve apostles lorenzo snow franklin D richards moses thatcher Tha francis M lyman john hnry smith heber J grant john W taylor mariner W merrill anton H lund and abraham H R cannon of counselors to the twelve john WY ayoung oung and daniel H wells patriarch john smith of the presiding council of tle the seventies henry herriman harriman jacob gates seymour B young john morgan and B H roberts of the presiding bishopric william B preston R r 1 burton barton and john R winder there were also present a large number of presidents of stakes and other prominent brethren from various parts of utah and surrounding states and territories the choir sang I 1 haw baw a mighty angel ily fly to earth he bent his hie way A message bearing from on high to cheer the sons of day the opening prayer was offered by apostle franklin D richards 81 singing ngi ng come listen to a prophets voice and hear the word of god and in the way of truth troth rejoice and sing for joy aloud Prest president dont auford woodruff said sixty yeara ago next sabbath this church of jesus christ of batter day saints was organized in fay ette seneca county new york it was organized by the prophet of god joseph smith it was organized by the commandments of god toy by the revelations of jesus christ its hlatky i to before the world the heavens aud and the earth and I 1 feel myself that our hearts should be filled this morning with gratitude and thanksgiving that we have the privilege agin again of meeting in an annual conference of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints I 1 hope and trust that the hearts hearte of the saints sainte will be lifted up in prayer to GW ged that during the time we shall spend together in this capacity the spirit and power of god may rest upon the apostles and elders who will address us and upon the saints themselves who may hear I 1 feel very thankful myself that I 1 still hive the privilege of meeting in general conference with the saints of god I 1 realize that we are weak instruments in the hand of god ario are called to perform this work the lord has chosen the weak things of the world from the foundation of theearta the earth to perform his work in every age and generation of men I 1 pray that the Apo apostles and elders of israel may be clothed upon with the spirit and power of god while they address the latter day saints we want to bear in mind that our strength our hope and our power is in the hands of god and not in men the lord himself has stretched forth his hand to establish this church his kingdom his work his zion the gathering together of his people in fulfilment fulfillment of the revelations of god which have been given to the inhabitants of the earth since the foundation of the world since the day the old patriarch father adam was brought forth and placed in the garden of eden from that day until now his work has been performed by the inspiration of the almighty and not oy by the power of man the very things in our history that we have been called to tow pass through the scenes which have been enacted have shown and they show today te tc all heaven and earth in the warfare tn the opposition inthe in the labor that are manifested among the sons of men from the creation of the world till today that this is the work of the lord the various perse cutronn cut ions the efforts which have been manifested against the organization of this churvi chur h and aad kingdom for its overthrow and destruction should show abow and have shown to heaven and erth earth that there is a power on earth outside the power of man we have no power in ourselves we never have had in the guidance and direction of this kingdom only through the interposition of almighty god joseph smith himself was ad ministered administered with in a way and manner that I 1 have fou found ud no record of I 1 have never read anywhere that I 1 biow of of the same power manifested in any dai sensation to the children 0 ol 01 men which was manifested to the prophet in the organization of this church when the father and the son both appeared to the prophet joseph in answer to his prayer and when the father said ghis is my beloved son behold him hear ye him this was an important revelation which has never been manifested in the same manner iu in any dispensation of the world that god has given I 1 en concerning his work V so in its the prophet was adm administer iniste fad fek to by the angels of heaven aney were his teachers they were his instructors and all that he did all that he performed peR performed ormed from the corn com men cement from that day to the day of his martyrdom was wag by the revelation of christ we ought to understand i this and as a people have faith in god in his revelations in his promises we should look forth fox for the fulfilment fulfillment of chese promises unto us in the day and generation gotie ration to in which we live they will be ful fulfilled filed rho fhe lord is at work he has set his hand to accomplish the great dispensation of which all the patriarchs and prophets have spoken since the world began therefore Phe rhe let not your hearts be troubled believe la in the father believe in jesus christ believe in the gospel which has been preached unto us and keep and fulfil fulfill the commandments of god then all will tie he right the lord will not dot fall fail the latter day saints he will not fril fail in hi his work in the gathering of his people he will not fall fail the seed of abraham he will not fall fail the seed of judah they will be gathered home to jerusalem their holy place they will receive their city and and be prepared for the coming of their king zion will arise and prosper if the latter day saints will but do their duty there is nothing in the way of our accomplishing all that has been promised unto us I 1 have no fears myself with regard to the outcome and final triumph of the kingdom of god of the zion of god of the church of god of the saints of god the lord has already gathered gath ored many thousands to these valleys of the mountains I 1 in a fulfillment of his hin promises now brethren and sisters let us be thoughtful while in hi the fl fi eshand peek to magnify our calling let our hearts ho be set on the building up of the kingdom of god and notte none shall fall fail with regard to those who kiy address us during this Coti conference ference I 1 hope that they may all have our prayers that they rony be inspired by the spirit of the fatherland Fat herand preach only those things which are true may god bless bleab us and pour out ilia his spirit upon us ua that we may have a good time at this conference may we enjoy that spirit may our hearts be u united together and way may we rejoice cri in those principles which have been revealed tor for the comfort salvation und mid eternal liffa life of the children of men elder john morgan wae waa the next speaker his remarks were substantially as follows I 1 am gratified at the privilege of meeting with tho the saints io in general conference of cheari hearing tg the voice of president wooi woo ruff and for fok the ful liti of the Gos gospel itel rev al aled ald d through the prophet joseph smith ac is a cause for gratitude that notwithstanding the opposition oR arrayed against the truth its cause still prospers that which to ohp th natural eye would seem to tai break down this work established by the almighty has the opposite effort never wan a time history when the saints I 1 wider attention than now this ni is in not frimi personal causes but on account of the which the have been taught because of those principles they are regarded ae a peculiar people A according c to the Scrip scripture turee when the saints are r regarded crded with aversion they should re rejoice oice I 1 have traveled throughout th this a country a good deal of late and met with many people and heart heard numerous ideas expressed regarding what is called I mormon ism im one journalist Jo said with regard to that tant system that its merits did not enter into the cuistion qui stion the nation had had enough of it they would not tolerate it this said he is a settled fact this seems reems to tie be a peculiar senti ment it is also common to assert that the religion accepted hy by the saints would fl nally finally go to the ibe wall of course I 1 could not agree with this view being convinced that truth will assert its true position in the hearts of the children of men anti and will ultimately prevail the people of god have been enabled to triumph over opposition in the past so will they be able to do in the fu future tu re I 1 testify that god is pleased with his people also with those who preside over the church and is guiding it with his all al powerful hand by the spirit of revelation through his servants kwyn oates ont said in substance I 1 am always wall ifil ing to bear testimony to the truth with considerable of which I 1 have bave been made conversant through the gospel for the last half cent century tiry I 1 have never seen anything that tended to weaken my faith regarding the fulfillment fulfilment of the predict predictions lIDS of the prophets relating to events of this dispensation A peculiarity ot of this dis dispensation penea la is that we have been commanded to be clean and iome I ome out froimy v the world with which we cincot fuse we have 0 o take a sure and direct course and take what the world has to give us we are now experiencing what was promised the saints fifty years heard hyrum smith predict the situation when he wite was on trial before judge jude king he said that at that time it was a state persecution in time it would become hat national ional I 1 look for the time when jehovah shall remove every barrier that stands in the way of the saints en joy ing every right and privilege the lord designs they should possess I 1 fay aay to the latter lay jay saints move on to victory there Is no need to he be discouraged the destruction of mormonism has haa been predicted from its organization but every in that direction has haa failed anti and history will in that respect be repeated elder B R ff roberts roberta said in substance I 1 feet feel grateful for the privileges we now possess and the favorable auspices under which we ve are enabled to engage in the exercises of this Con conference ferenee there is enough to inspire gratitude in the hearts of the latter jay day saints if they but pause to consider what they enjoy besides spiritual blessings we have those of a a al character which alone are exceedingly cee precious the winter has been severe and some losses have oc currel in consequence yet there is abundance of food and clothing for all copious snows leave been stored up in the mountains tal na presaging a plenteous coming harvest there are not the want misery and perplexity here that are in other the salute saints have been preserved from many evils that exist in other comici unities and have measurably kept k pt themselves free from the entangle ments resulting aig from the credit system this freedom from the cause that makes the many become the servants of the few is a result of listening to the counsel of the berv ants of god we have other blessings to be grateful for it is not it ng since the at gatherings of this kind was almost vacant causing a spirit of loneliness to prevail now nearly all of the presiding uin bret iiren are in their accustomed places for this I 1 thank god the experience of the last few ye re ra like jike that of the past sixty years gives us confidence that this work will not be cestr by the cunning of its as assailants milalAs moh force cannot destroy it its s that process failed when the numbers of the church were but few of late we have seen the combined liskom of wise men applied for its ita destruction yet the church remains unmoved not a quorum displaced and not an in on the armor which eneas eath es the good ship zion I 1 ha ye often thought how gl gloomy comy was the prospect before the former day saints to whom the spirit of prophesy manifested that there would be a falling away in our day we have been given the as assurance urance that the kingdom shall not be d destroyed es troyed nor given to another people the lord will us if needful and repeat the experience until the desired effect is produced but the kingdom is indestructible it cannot le be removed from the face of the earth if there is danger to the work of god it does not proceed from out side enemies it arises from individuals divi duals who compose it while it shall remain intact many who are identified with it may fall having escaped from those who fori formerly nerl threatened our destruction and come to these valleys a flood comes upon us that our disintegration may be encompassed this flood is one of wickedness from which until late years we have been measurably free in the past extremes of wealth and poverty have been rare this condition is changing and the situation is becoming similar to that which exists in other communities there is danger of this change to say the least wealth and luxury are pouring into the laps of the ahe saints these are more dangerous because more insinuating than the opposition ln and poverty all should be on their guard against the allurements allure ments of wealth the t temptations t eions to the young to break the sabbath abbath and in dalve in other practices that thai are in conflict with the me gospel of the sun son of god bod are Inc increasing they lead to spiritual death it is well for the saints to contemplate the reason for their gathering to the these valleys vaudys it was not th tt it they might surround themselves with wealth and luxury but to be free from the evils evila of the world and to be taught in the ways odthe of the lord elder joselph B K taylor I 1 have a testimony concerning the work which goil has planted upon the earth I 1 have faith in it it is credited to president Brig hain young that he salt said when the people first this valley he hoped they lie le left in peu e for at least ten years to enable them to gather strength the prophet joseph se h smith not only himself received c the falness of the keys of the priesthood but he conveyed them to others that the work of redemption demp tion for tho the living and the dead might be coti conducted ducted uninterruptedly that labor cannot be topped stopped as it is progressive and con sinuous while inclined to chafe under the effects of opposition we should remember that we are gaining experience which we could not obtain n by any other pro cess we should never forget that no matter how bitterly we are assailed it is not justi justifiable flable for the saints sainte to cherish enmity toward those who persecute them elder taylor continued to show the necessity for the servants of god who preside to possess the unbounded confidence of the people the labors and devotion of those men were of a nature to entitle them to this support they were imbued with and directed the affairs of the church by the spirit and power of god the choir sang the anthem 0 be joyful s adjourned till 2 p m benediction by counselor daniel H SESSION SEMON reassembled assembled re at 2 pm the choir sang 0 jesus I 1 the giver of all we enjoy our lives to thy honor we wish to employ prayer by president A 0 smoot of utah stake singing prayer pra ger to ie the souls sincere desire uttered or unexpressed the motion of a hidden bidden fire are that trembles in the breast counselor Conn Belor john W young tomar it has always been a question with me whether a person called caled unawares or by |
