| Show THE WORK OF preparation RECENT events naturally conduce to a thoughtful condition among the latter day saints sainte the ceremonies connected with the laying odthe capstone of the temple in this city were so impressive and significant that they had the effect of causing all intelligent faithful members of the church to contemplate their present situation with a view to their preparation for still more striking and important events of oui our history which will in all probability occur in the near future the laying of the capstone upon the temple itself suggests the near approach of the completion of that noble structure and the still more advanced ceremonies connected with its full dedication as a holy house unto the most high bilth the interest taken by the saints in the erection of temples and the work for the living and the dead connected with those sacred edifices is so intense that there can be but little doubt entertained as to the necessary means being forthcoming with which to put the finishing touches upon the building everybody cavit g the faith of the gospel at heart will rejoice at an aa opportunity being afforded of contri contributing to aid a cause so noble and far reaching the contribution of funds to is however but a part of the prep lara tion for the notable event which is in evidently so near there are other considerations associated with the question that are more difficult to comply with and which are equally if not more important we refer to the needed spiritual preparation god to is mani manifesting fistIng unmistakably that he sustains by his power the ecclesiastical leaders leaden of the people but it in ig not only necessary that th those ose officiate in the final dedication ceremonies connected with the temple should be in accord with the heavens but so likewise should all the deop people e who shall ball be present to witness them this con can only be attained purification each individual ought to so live as to be possessed of the holy spirit this condition to is attained by a chaste honest upright and prayerful unselfish life in eluding a devotion to the cause of god and truth that will subdue every personal inter interest too toa much emphasis cannot be placed upon the necessity for personal righteousness those who do not divest themselves so far us as possible b le of everything that is opposed to the will of f the holy spirit must necessarily detract from the harmony that should exist on sacred occasions and tend to lessen the manifestations of if gods cods pleasure plea eure hence each individual being a part of the aggregate can contribute to or detract from the power exhibited at such times time according to his bis personal condition great pro promises misto were made by the lord in the kirtland temple premised on the condition that the people would purify their hearte the promised prom isep we presume hold good whenever the requirements quire ments upon which they are predicated are with it ought to be unnecessary to state that in order to be prepared for future events that are evidently near there should be no divisions amon among g the saints by reason of unkindly feelings towards each other that fraternal I spirit that belongs to the goa gospel we I 1 should hould pervade the whole the people ought to be a unit lit in sentiment toward each other the saints have beya been frequently warned for instance or of forming them selves into aristocratic classes on the basis of wealth this thesis to contrary to the genius of the gospel As wealth increases ic creases among the people the dunger danger in this direction enlarges president george Q cannon has in the past occasionally casio caso nally stated in his public dis die coursed coura ep that he was apprehensive of more d danger a adger to the saints when many of them should become rich than when they were in more moderate circumstances cum stances stance his views in this respect were based on the liability of humanity in general to separate from each other in classes on the basis of earthly posses nione t features presented in the community have exhibited the fact mitat he read the signs aright there have been symptoms of class division of this character but they have not gone iro neIth with people within the fold of hi be church so far that a salutary change may not set in in faut fact the spirit that was leading off in the direction referred to appears to have moderated to a considerable sid erable extent of adte and it to is to be hoped the good work will go on doubtless the lord foresaw a time when riches would endanger the re lillou is health of some of the saints and therefore in a revelation given through joseph the seer at kirtland in january 20 1881 warned the church as follows and if ye seek riches which is the will of the father to give unto youl you ye shall be the richest of all people for or ye shall have the riches of eternity it must needs be that the riches of the earth are mine to give but beware of pride lest ye become as the Neph Nep hites itea of old the condition Into which the ancient people of this continent fell was waa such euch as led to the most disastrous conse cones quen ces and to is clearly defined in ahw the follow following ng passage from the sixth chap ter of III nepal and it came to pass that there webb many cities built anew and there were many old cities repaired and there were many highways cast up and many roads made which led from cit city to CRY city and from land to land and from place place to place and thus pawed passed away the twenty and nd eighth year and the people had continual peace but it came to tc pass in the twenty and ninth year there began to be soma dis among the ane people and some were lifted up unto pride and because of their exceeding great riches yea even unto great persecutions for there were many merchants in the land and also many lawyers and many officers and the people began to be distinguished by ranks according to their riches and their chances for learning yea some were ignorant because of their poverty and others jid receive great learning because of feair riches some were lifted up in pride and others were wera exceeding humble some did return railing for railing while others would receive e railing and persecution and all manner of afflictions and would not turn and revile again but were humble and pent penitent ent before god and thus there became a great inequality in all the land insomuch that the church began to be broken up yea insomuch that in the thirtieth year the church was waa broken up in all the land save it were among a few of the laman ites who were converted unto the true fail faich and they would not depart from it for they were firm and steadfast an and immovable with all diligence to keep the commandments of the lord 11 1 rif I they are a wise people who pay beed to the lessons which history furnishes when they read of evils that have brought calamity upon the people of past ages they will avoid the shoals upon which the ancients stra stran nied led and take care that in such matters history does not repeat itself the saints ought to make up their minds to live jive to in accord with the admonitions ions and instructions administered by the servants of god during the late conference they will thus toe be prepared for the events of moment that will doubtless crowd themselves upon them in the near future for the work of the father Is advance g with rapid strides |
