Show sunday services religious services were held in the tabernacle salt lake city sunday jan 1890 comm commencing 9 at 2 p in president angus M cannon presiding the choir sang the hymn begin ning though in the outward church below the wheat and tares together grow prayer was offered by elder E B tripp the choir sang glory to god on high I 1 let heaven and earth reply praise ye his name the priesthood of the fifth ward officiated in the administration of the sacrament ELDER JAMES I 1 TALMAGE TALMA X was wa called to address the congregation he said it was the habit of the elders of israel to rely on the faith and prayers of the saints because they had realized that this course was necessary for the instruction of the people no gift of eloquence no power of speech no aati ude for the position is alone sufficient to enable a man to address a congregation of latter day saints to do so acceptably the speaker must be under the influence of the holy ghost and that spirit must inspire hu his utterances the organization of the church shows that some power more than human controlled and directed it in my careful study of history I 1 have failed tw to find any government or organization outside of the church of christ that can withstand the attacks against these people in the positions in which the saints are placed the P present resent growth and development of i the latter day saints are without a parallel in the history of the nations what is it that so holds them together we tiger it must be something more than chan human ties it must be something that enters the soul the elders of israel have passed through many scenes they have wandered in strange lands and among those whose language and customs have been strange to them they have faced besth for their religious con vie lions and it must be conceded that the elders have under these circumstances cum stances been sustained by a divine power there are many men who have declared their intention to solve the mormon problem judges ha va assumed to undertake this on the bench presidents have suggested to congress plans which have been acted upon but the church of jesus christ still goes on and none can doubt that it is increasing with the years there must be something more than human that is supporting it man may plant ia u t the seed in the field but md it itis is god who causes it bogrow to grow young and timid elders have been called to proclaim the doctrines of mormonism and they have gone forth in the name of lar israelis aels god and have confounded the learned sad and uke the wise of the world the sia elders speak by the power of the holy ghost and upon its inspiration they rely to speak by the power of this spirit is to do as the ancient prophets did requiring the angels angel of heaven to administer to them and bring about marvelous things it was by that power that elijah and that wondrous works were performed it was by that thac power christ himself operated on earth that peter with such eloquence on the day of pentecost and by it the apostles and prophets in this age act in the fUi guidance dance of the church the holy ghost is gods messenger the power and form by which he achieves the fulfilment fulfillment of his plans I 1 find many parallels between this power and those forces which we call natural though the former is as far above the latter HS as are the heavens above the earth for instance the electric force is being adopted to many uses but it must be handled according to the laws of nature cut the wire and the use of the power comes ceases till the break is repaired let man sever the connection with the heavens and communication muni cation and power from that source ceases till the communication is reopened all things in nature move according to a preconceived plan there is design in the universe there must have been a designer the design is infinite the designer must be omniscient the design is all controlling the designer must be omnipotent an eminent infidel asked how communication was carried on with the heavens whether by telephone or telegraph for he had never heard of such a line therefore he be did not believe there was any communication such a remark is foolish because there is cometh I 1 have not hot seen is that an evidence that it does not exist there is an infinitude into which the mind of man has yet scarcely reached and well known powers and forces of today were comparatively unknown tomen to men a few years ago I 1 remember the anecdote of the scientist who visited an asylum for the blind those who had never seen the light one of these unfortunates asked the scientist to explain what the color of a yellow rose was the learned man endeavored to accede to the request but his task was too great there was nothing to which he could compare the color for the comprehension of the listener and the inquirer could not receive the information he desired for it could not be brought to his conception when the lord has sought to bring something to the attention of his hid children he has done so in parallels when he took moses upon sinai he exhibited to him the picture f the world it was a comparison by which moses braind could be brought to grasp the conditions an angel might endeavor to describe heaven to us but we could not comprehend it till we advanced to that condition where we could compare and conceive of the glories that were described man is given dominion over the beasts bu there are some which outstrip him in speed aud and strength there Is a principle that a being to Is entitled to no powers it cannot defend man defends his powers by the forces of nature mature to accomplish that which by his own power tie be could not do laut but he has has to comply with the law by which those forces are controlled if he cuts himself loose from these laws he to in without strength just as be learns to subjugate these forces is he able to demonstrate his powers the holy oboist to is a power that has overcome the obstacles of space that is above the forces of nature and when man to is actuated by that his accomplishments are such as to clearly show that he to is supported by a power that is divine some years ago an obstruction had to be removed from an eastern harbor the stone was excavated and explosives applied when all had been prepared the pressure of a childs child a finger caused the greatest artificial explosion that man has brought about god said let there be light men have scoffed at the idea that fight light came out of darkness but it was arranged that the waves of light came into action with as much ease as the explosion was caused by the pressure of an elec electric trie button by a childs finger if thi th sound of mans man voice can be conveyed hundreds of miles if continents can be connected for eom corn muni cation though an ocean lies between we cannot excuse ourselves for ignorance of gods power because of lack of comparisons I 1 believe that man an should draw out all the powers and energies of his soul and then the lord will give assistance to accomplish the rest when the father of our country was called to prosecute a war for independence it if would have been foolish if the CoD congress gress had not provided him with means to prosecute the war but the means was provided and success was attained when hen we were called by our father to come to this earth he gave us authority and power to ackom accomplish ish our mission enoch was owl called for a grea great work he urged his weakness but god told him to go and clothed with the power of jehovah at his word mountains were removed and armies overthrown overt hown it was not enochs word but it was the power of that accompanied him with the authority given him can we doubt the to power of god today let sceptics skeptics beware ware when they ridicule him lest he exhibit that power he does not always act summarily but he can still operate with the arm of power ana will do so let us do our duty and trust in him we should not care for the derision for the scorn of those who know not god trust in him for he has greater forces at his hie command than we have known he can control the passions of man as he does the 11 flash for his purposes ur poses to he has protected the eints saints in the past he willdon will dou dos in the future the 11 mormon problem has not yet been solved if we mean by its solution that the mormon people will ever renounce bounce any adv of the principles of life and salvation that have been revealed to them or any ady of the covenants made with their god I 1 say with all my soul it never will be solved no power on earth not that of this great nation or of other nations combined combi nw can overthrow this work for it is the work of the god of israel the decree of jehovah is that it shall never be overthrown he has said that it will wil not fall to the ground and that not nol one word uttered by him will fail to be fulfilled regarding this work neither will prophecy fall fail with respect to this people the lord however has not told us that all alj will be well with us unless we maintain our integrity before him the promises made are only on condition that we will stand firm and true to him the people as a whole will stand true as they have atoo I 1 in the trials that are past and will not bow the knee to baal they recognize in the powers of heaven none but the god who gave them being they recognize that worldly powers are am operated by his will I 1 believe the testimony of the gospel is increasing in our midst the testimony of this work to is not growing cold in the hearts of the latter day saints my testimony it is that god is w with i th th this is people today and will not forget nor neglect them we are being persecuted but if this will make us a purer and better people I 1 say welcome all the persecution that god in his mercy shall permit it will make us nobler chumbl humble and more worthy the name of latter day saints do not forget that you are the offspring of god that you came from above and not from beneath you have descended from the royal lineage of heaven shrink from doing anything that is mean or that is degrading or unbecoming a son or daughter of the K king jig of heaven royal blood runs through the veins of the latter day saints they have shown their kingly power they have refused to bow themselves to those who have tried to bring them into subjection stone walls and iron bars bare have never been able to do this and no adversities can su subjugate bj a god fear ing people nothing can stand between them and their maker A man whose soul is free who has nothing betwee between ig him and heaven is free though he may be cast into a dungeon his soul cannot be fettered nor can the peace of god be shutout shut out from his heart weare we are not a race of slaves and those of our enemies who are seeking to put their feet upon our necks do not know what they are about the man of sorrows was put upon the cross and crucified by his enemies and there are many who would do likewise with the saints today but the lord jesus wa was not overcome and as he conquered death and was glorified so will he bring about the triumph and glory of his work today anti and the deliverance of those who trust in him As for those who fight against the truth we judge them not but leave them in the handsol hands of god though the saints sainte may be east cast within prison walls and be confined in dark cells and lie upon dungeon floors they cannot by this means be deprived of communion with heaven they may be deprived of thir rights as citizens they may be subjected to many great trials and hardships injustice may be heaped upon them by their fellow beings but if they seek the glory of god they will receive his favor and ap probation which is 18 more to be desired than allease all else those who trust in him will receive of the peace and the joy and the glory which comes from no other source his promises cannot failand iland fu he is ready to manifest his power in our behalf he to is only awaiting our preparation let us be true to him let us place ourselves in harmony with his laws that we may merit his blessin gand it will be poured out upon us to our eternal salvation 0 and nd the glory of the mighty jehovah the choir sang the hymn commencing ye who are a called to labor and minister for god bleat with the royal priesthood and called by y his word benediction was pronounced by patriarch john smith |