| Show at the Ya bernacle salt lethe lake wy my sunday afternoon afler noon october 1892 BY ARTHUR APOSTLE ABRAHAM H CANNON I 1 have been requested request do my brethren and slaters sisters to lo occupy a portion of the time to our meeting this afternoon and an d while I 1 do so with much tear fear I 1 trust that through the influence of your faith and prayers in my behalf I 1 may be led to say those things which will be instructive to us all and will also be a means of encouragement and aad if necessary of reproof I 1 do not feel that there are any principles of my own which I 1 desire to advance adva ace nor do I 1 wish to attempt to address this vast congregation according to the human wisdom which bod has given me but only as his si spirit irit shall prompt me to speak unto you I 1 am often reminded of late ol of that scripture written by paul if in this life only we have hope in christ we are of all men most miserable when I 1 have reflected upon the circum stances surrounding us and the difficulties we have to meet it seems to me that we have everything to discourage us ua and to make us turn back from the path upon which we have entered in connection with the work of god uh ufa lees jew we have some hope within us concerning toe future and that eternity to which we are all hastening we not only have the cares of life to endure we are not only troubled daily in our business and household affairs not only do we have resting upon us all the responsibilities which aie are common to people in the wonlu but in addition to an all these we have to meet the persecution se the oppression the con rumely and the scorn of the majority of the human family we have already as a church suffered buffered far beyond the power of human tongue to denari describe our people have been driven from their homes time and time again of their property they have repeatedly been robbed they have lost through death at the hands of wicked men some of those who were most dear to them they have suffered everything which human beings could endure and still live notwithstanding what they have done for the benefit of the human family in the che preaching of the gospel and in the promulgation of that doctrine of gathering which has afforded relief and temporal blessing blaming to so many people they are today bereft of the encouragement which their sets acts certainly merit they are the only people in my opinion who euld have redeemed these desert valleys they are only people who could beautified this land as they done and made it a place which men covet and which is desirable above every land upon the face of earth I 1 do not mean to say that they could have dune done it had it not been the blessing of god which their labors T do not believe that they could but it was the result of circumstances over which they had no control that they were brought to this land that they settled these valleys valleye that they continued to live jive here and that in the providence of gid they have made this a place so deligato deliga tf ua for their own occupation and for homes for others who desire pence peace contentment and prosperity iu the things of this world in view of all these things which j they have accomplished it seems to me that the he hearts arts of men man throughout the whole world and especially in this country should be filled with gratitude tor for the ber services vices which these latter day saints have rendered to their country in the redeeming ol of these sterile wastes which would doubtless today but for their labors be still marked as the great american desert but the results are not such as we might hope would follow such labors the latter day saints sainta are nol noi yet received with kindness by the people of the world they are not treated with that consideration that they should be by their fellow men but we have become so accustomed to suffer sufi erat at the bands ot of those who do not understand us that it is in almost second nature to us and we have been able to find peace and joy for our souls even in the midst of the greatest tribulations which it seems possible tor for men and women to endure these things we can still endure if we enjoy the favor of god u until util we have accomplished the work which the lord has marked out for us to do here on the erth it need give us no concern when we see the powers of darkness in opposition to us in the accomplishment of th these es e duties chieh are required at our haude hands on the other hund we can lift up our hearts and rejoice it if these things ome upon us for righteousness sake for we will receive in eternity lf if not in time all the blessings concerning which jesus spoke and concerning which god bod has as spoken through his hie prophets both in ancient and in modern times but when my brethren and sisters we see a spirit of discord and contention a desire to persecute a desire to op oppress a desire to divide growing up in the midst of the latter day saints then we have bavo cause to fear and tremble we have cause to seek the guidance and the strength of god to resist this spirit which will as surely lead as to destruction as t the he spirit of christ will lead us to salvation and to triumph and I 1 do not suppose that there I 1 is anyone who has ham reached the years of maturity among the latter day but can see that there is such a spirit finding place in certain quarters among members of the church of jesus christ chris of latter day saints are there any who can deny that the same spirit which characterized the saints in the early settlement nf these valleys has fled to A certain extent from our midst do you find among latter day saints that same harmony that same love that same union and that same spirit of peace which were familiar in the early settlement of these valley leys various causes have contributed to the growth and expansion of this spirit to which I 1 refer a spirit of division finding ity ito way into the homes of latter day saints and creating discord and strife where formerly there was love and union what the result will be it requires no great prophet to tell we read in scripture of the warn ings which were given by the savior himself upon this very subject he said that a house divided against it could not stand he warned his disciples to seek for that spirit of oneness which was characteristic of himself and aej his father in heaven for he said if ye are not one ye are not mine jl you my brethren and slaters sisters are aware of the special features which characterized the saints in former days day and which are characteristic of latter jay day saints as well you remember the result which followed the preaching of the apostles when they received the holy ghost on the day of pentecost anil and the multi multitude tuie cried unto peter lor for information as to how bow they might be saved after receiving the ordinances of the gospel they became one in all things as a result of their acceptance of these principles they were alike in their temporal affairs as well as in their spiritual concerns they saw eye to eye there were no b among them there was no strife nor contention but there was a spirit filling each heart aud and resting down upon every individual that made him love his neighbor as himself and love god his creator with all his heart they were ready to show that supreme love of which jesus says there is none greater to lay down their lives for their friends the apostles showed love not only for their brethren but for the principles which they had bad espoused by themselves suffering martyrdom at the hands bands of their enemies that same sam spirit espirit has found place in the hearts of the people who have received this gospel in this day in every land where it has been preached successfully cess fully there have been no national lines separating the saints of god the brother from the islands of the sea was as welt welcome ionis to the circle of the saints as the one who came from europe or from america the brother or sister of the dark skin was con just as welcome in the midst of the latter day saints and as having equal privileges in the work of god if they were of the house of israel as the brother or sister of the white skin the gospel leveled the whole community it made of us one people as long as as we practiced its principles sad and the jove of it was supreme supreme in our hearts but imme immediately diat ely upon any other spirit taking possession of us it banished this spirit of love and of union and those who gave encouragement to any such feeling gradually drew away from the flock of christ and went into darkness and apostasy from which it was impossible to return without sincere repentance it is impossible for or people to continue in the pale of this church if they are divided one against another it is just as impossible for men who are continually raising discord and strife among the saints to remain in the midst of the people of god as it was for lucifer the son of the morning that chist talented and brilliant son of god to retain his position in the heavenly kingdom when he be rebelled against the will of the father you know how it was then the lord pres presenter entea to his children the plan or plans which he had bad concerning the earth upon which we dwell lucifer had a plan to present to god he want wanted the the salvation of all the human family and to be the instrument of effecting their redemption in his own way and for this labor be was to receive the glory but jesus jeans the beloved the only begotten of the father in the flesh desired that the will of god should be doue done and that the glory should be given unto the father biesel toe the plan of jesus was reo rec ived the plan of lucifer was rejected he rebelled in heaven and he be drew after him a third part of the hosts boats of heave i and they were cast do down w n to earth because of t that rebellion it was impossible tor for them to dwell in mhd presence ot of gad possessing the spirit which filled them so it has been in the church A spirit of dissension will bring disaster to those who eDdo encourage urage it you remember by reading the history ot of the days of Kirt kinland lands how half of the twelve apostles turned upon the prophet ut of gudmand jud and su so fille were they with the spirit of satan that if they could have had bad their way he woul i have been asiain at the hands bands of those who had bad been his bis friends and who had been in the closest communion with him but through the mercy of god his life was spared they were not permitted to work out their evil designs and the prophet lived until he be could seal his testimony wiLb his blood at the tha hands of those who had rejected his testimony but those who were in rebellion those who had sought bought to disrupt the church and to break the tee influence of the prophet of goddad god bad fallen on the stone and had bad been shattered battered to pieces and they went down to destruction having lost the spirit of god some dome of them after wards returned and made full atonement as ae far as it was pus possible sible for them to do for the wrongs which they had bad committed but others never returned these examples and numerous others which might be cited should be a constant warning to latte rd saints to not permit any spirit to tase possession of their hearts that is in apt to lead them in the ways of unrighteousness soua if they di diverge deverg verg from the path which god has marked out for them to follow they will certainly lose the spirit of the gospel the holy ghost which gives given them thein a 4 testimony of the truth ot of god will depart from them and they will go into darkness and down to destruction unless unions they repent we should seek not only to remove any spirit of this thin kind from our own hearts but also from the hearts of those who are around us if we are called to preside in any capacity in the midst of the people our constant effort should be to overcome any spirit which is likely to divide the people in regard to spiritual matters and we certainly cannot indulge in faultfinding iu in backbiting back biting in slandering IQ in opposition to the dictates of thode whom god has called to act as our guides without im loring ing in a measure the spirit of the holy religion which we have received ived now I 1 do not refer so much mach to things of a temporal character there are certain things connected with our daily lives live upon which god has given 10 0 revelation he has given no direct word to his people for their guidance la in these matters and they must be left therein to the exercise of their own judgment and the wisdom which he has poured out upon them or which he will give to them when they seek wisdom at his hands but I 1 refer to the spiritual things to the doctrines of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints concerning which there are debates discussions quibbling a and question among the latter day saints upon these points we cannot afford to be di vidad to bein be in opposition one to another ot herfor for the lord in establishing this perfect plan of salvation of which he has made us the recipients instituted a way in his churon by which we can receive from him at any time the counsel of his will and upon any matter concerning which there is dispute he has instituted an authority in his church for the settlement of such disputes in regard to the cardinal principles of the gospel there is no question we understand faith to be the first principle of revealed religion we understand repentance to be necessary for the salvation of the children of men we know that baptism is ease u bial to salvation we know thattie that the laying on of bands is one of the cardinal doctrines of the church we also know that union is as necessary to the latter day saints in its place as faith repentance baptism and the laying on of hands are essential in their places but there are frequently other things wising arising in our experience concerning which the word of the lord is not clear to ease our ur minds and to place them at rest in considering these mattera matters howshall how shall we receive light upon them it if these principles concern ourselves individually or our families if we stand at the head bead of families we can appeal to god for guidance we oan can ask ir for his hie spirit to enlighten our minds and give us the revelation of his will concerning that point on w aich there are doubts in our minds and if we seek him iu in the proper manner tle he will give to us the revelations of his will upon that matter it if it were not so how would it be with our elders shogo who go abroad to the nations of the earth and among people opposed to them and who desire frequently their destruction if they were left without this spirit of revelation which god gives to his children who seek him in the proper manner how would it be with them under such circumstances sad bad indeed would be their condition conditi we might then with fearful hearts send end our elders out to the nations of the earth to preach this gospel but knowing that our father is all powerful that he is omnipotent aud and omnipresent we oan can send out these young inexperienced men though they may be to any part of the earth knowing that when they are in trouble they can seek god and that he will be near to bear and answer their prayers our experience in the past sixty years has fully verified the promise that fie unto his children hundreds ot 01 years ago that those who sought him should receive wisdom at his hands but how to is it with regard to the attain affairs of a ward award for instance it if there is a division among the priesthood of a ward who is to receive the counsel necessary to produce harmony and to establish peace among mong the members of that ward who but the bishop who stands at the head of that ward who but the father of that ward who but the man upon whom god ham |
