Show S sunday services religious services were held at the ghe tabernacle raber naele salt lake city sun absy august 17 J 1890 commencing at As 2 p in elder henry P rich ardai presiding the choir and congregation sang AD 0 say what is truth the fairest tem rem ahat the riches of worlds can protace pro dace prayer was offered by elder wm willis the choir sang the hymn commencing spirit of faith come down reveal the things of god the priesthood of the thirteenth ward officiated in the administration of the sacrament ELDER A F MDONALD was the first speaker he felt to re juice auice in the privilege of meeting with ath the to partake with them of the lords supper and he waa thankful to be numbered with this people for a few years past he said I 1 have been laboring in mexico those who have friends in the mexican settlements would no doubt like to hear bear how we are prospering thore th re the health was generally good when 1 1 left we have had some drouth but recently we have had refreshing rains fains we have religious liberty there and enjoy many blessings fr f r which we are very grateful we trust to go on and do all the good we can ln that land for the interests of the kingdom of god great interest is felt among the people in ou our f work we have good schools and can assemble there as hereto here to worship god ai cording according to his fila direction our schools are well patronized many who are sending their children to the states for education ae a e anxious that we should establish schools for their benefit imn I 1 am thankful for the gospel revealed through the prophet josephr smith we who have been eriv to hear and believe the principles V of the gospel should be truly thankful there is probably no greater sin than that of ingratitude we should be thankful to god and to the brethren who are our leaders manashall many shall yet come from the nations of the earth and acknowledge the errors of their fathers we have had this experience peri ence I 1 think of what we were f taught in presbyterian scotland where the ordinances of the gospel were regarded as mere outward or finances din ances how wide is the difference between this doctrine and the teachings of our lord our savior taught nicodemus an ordinance obligatory liga tory on every human being the ordinance of baptism to be buried in water in the likeness of christs death and to rise in the likeness of his resurrection is the essence of baptism the illustration of our v savior tor nicodemus of the new birth arth is superior to any I 1 ever heard it shows us how to receive althe zabe holy spirit the still small voice by y which we can be guided and re dewed and if we are true to this voice we will never go astray we were formerly taught that baptism was nonessential non essential to salvation now we know that it is all essential not that baptism in itself does everything but it has been instituted by our savior who shad his blood for us abid aad therefore it is essential when an elder raises b his is hands and baptizes us in the name of the father the son and the holy ghost the die authority he aasand has and the faith exercised combine bine to bring about a remission of our sins and from the time our sins are forgiven we should be contin conti n bally growing in knowledge in strength and in keeping the commandments mand ments of god I 1 know that this work is no delusion I 1 know that it is the work of god and I 1 rejoice in it As a people we have nevea seen a time in which we could better display our loyalty to god than today rhe greater our trials are the more strength we will have to resist while we are in the world the light of the gospel is given us to live by how earnestly we should strive that our faith may grow all the benefits of the gospel are to be diligently sought for god has been merciful to us he foretold us years ago what transpires today even in this city and many ganv other things are yet to come but bul we have also been promised that it if we will follow the counsels of the servants of god we shall be preserved in the time of trial the principles we have embraced bring to us not merely a hope or belief but an assurance that this is the work of god brethren who find fault with others do not realize their position in the church of god it is remarkable to see the blessings of god manifested even in the abundant produce of the soil wherever we go people say this is because of our industry but we know it is only by the blessings of god I 1 trust each one of the saints will inquire into his spiritual condition in order to find out whether he is in his liny line of duty each day and I 1 pray god to bless this people many of the inhabitants of the united states have been led to persecute us they know not why but I 1 know that god will take care of hig hi 9 people the rulers of mexico I 1 can say do not feel thus toward us the superintendent of schools in the state of told me once that our people have the best beat school buildings in the whole state outside of the capital and thus our works are testifying in our favor in the eyes of the people I 1 do not anticipate that there will be much persecution culion down there it if we can gre only I 1 live our religion much of our trials are of our own creation may the servants of god always be preserved to counsel and direct us in the paths of righteousness ELDER JAMES E TALMAGE yas vas the next speaker he said it ts id proper that we should meet here as the children of god they would be undutiful children who would I 1 refuse to come together to commini cate with meir heir father we acknowledge selves the children of our heavenly father we have the conviction within us that god loves us but if he loves us he will naturally devise some means whereby he can manifest himself to us not every day yet none who have been able to endure his presence has been denied this ledge we should familiarize ourselves with the ways of god only those who have done so can understand god we can not understand the scriptures save through the spirit of god the lord will speak to such of his children in the language suited to each ones condition to pharaoh for instance he sent one of the greatest prophets that ever lived moses this prophet came and demanded that the children of israel should be set free but pharaoh would rot recognize jehovah the language of moses was not intelligible to the proud king god then changed his language plagues of various kinds were sent upon egy egypt t this the king understood and be acknowledged the power of god and promised to obey although he be repeatedly peat edly broke his royal word until the last plague came with the most terrible force and convinced him to let the people go when christ came humble and lowly few would believe him but when he hung upon the cross and there came earthquake and darkness then there were people that understood they could not misunderstand the language of earthquakes testifying that he was the son of god so now god will speak to men in a tongue that they can understand some men harden their hearts until they feel the chills of death or the trials of poverty or till other painful experiences bring them round it is not always that afflictions are from the evil one god may sometimes have to send afflictions to bring about his good purposes there are times when we find ourselves tossed about like the disciples on the sea of galileo galilee but in each of these experiences we can perceive the voice of our master in the darkness fear not it is all I 1 let us strive to live so chii that we can realize the guidance of our god in all tb things ings and deserve the name of latter day saints the choir sang the anthem daughter of benediction was pronounced by fider elder george G by bywater water |