Show REMARKS MADE BY HOER ABRAHAM I 1 CANNON at the tabernacle salt loke lake city sunday december 1892 BY br ARTHUR wlater I 1 trust my brethren and fistere si stere that the spirit of qed god may rest reat upon nas me w while h ile I 1 ad addred d ress y you on for a few mo menag the testimony of elder junium juntas jf wells welle to which we have listened should certainly make a deep impression 1 prea sio n upon our hearts if what he has hag said to is the truth then those who reject it are in great danger and tho those who accept his hie testimony are in the way of life eternal similar to that which we have heard have been borne among many nations by the elders eldero of this church the result has been the gathering together of the latter day saints they have felt impressed by the humble words of ton thoi elders of the church and have put to the test that which they ba have ve said the result has been that the spirit of god which as we are auldin told int the scripture la Is to be poured out in the latter days upon all flesh has filled their souls with a testimony of the truth and they in turn have known as the elders know knew who brought we the gospel to them that god indeed had again spoken from heaven and had revealed his mind land and will to the children of men but while we have done some little in the preaching of the word to the people of the earth our labors have but commenced in that direction it needs but slight consideration to re mind us of the millions of people who have yet to hear this his gospel preached unto them before the end comee corn many nations are without the teachers of the truth today many nations are without the elders of the he Oh church yet we are told that the testimony must most go forth in the latter days to the end of the earth that an all kind kindreds rods and nations and t tongue 0 ngu so and people must hear these glad ti dingo and must receive or r reject the same an they are moved upon by the spirit which possesses them I 1 in n aa tiou of this great work which still lies betocke us as how industriously we should be engaged in warning out our neighbors and in sending forth the written word where it is in impossible for the truth to be carried by the servants servant of god that la in the day of gode judgment the people may be left with out excuse yet each succeeding year shows shown that we have made some advancement in the work which god has entrusted to us upon tote thin day we can look back baak over the you year that to is past and we can see that some progress has been made by the church of w which bieh we are members we have had our trials we have had difficulties to meet there have been obstacles placed in our way and yet there has haa been an unseen power guiding anti and directing the church as an well as individuals divi duals so eo that today we see in some measure the success which has bus followed the work of god upon the earlb and as the year roll by and the purposes of god develop greater strides will be made by this church which the lord has established upon the earth for the aai mi of his children blessed are they who can retain sufficient faith and can stand in such close communion with the eternal father that they may be prepared for the changes which will come to this people greater perhaps and more abundant than any we have seen een during the sixty three years of the Axi existence stence of this church we have learned much during this period the trials which today we are able to surmount mount ur would a few years ago have led many away from the truth we reflect upon the incidents connecter connect eu with the early history of 0 the church and we are sometimes astonished at the trivial things which have led lea people into apostasy we wonder how it wits 8 possible for men with such euch brilliant gifts and with so ao many testimonies as the early elders receive eri ed to turn away from the truth because of the things which they had to meet but we must remember that the church was JD in its infancy cy MOB meya and women were unaccustomed to iris 0 they were not so no familiar with the of f god as we today are and the slightest occurrence had bad its fleet effect upon the community men and bomell apostatized I 1 believe more readily and more easily in the early days then than at the present time just as chill children iren are unable to endure the fatigue and the exertions which are easy for mature men and women to endure and to perform so BO it was in the church in the spiritual things of the kingdom of god As we overcome one difficulty as we are successful in one obstacle it prepares us no for a s greater one which it is necessary tor for us to meet in order that we may be tried in all and thus become prepared for the glorious destiny which god has hae marked out for we his people this thio day h has brought many reflections to my mind it seems memo to me it in a day when our cur hearts heart s should be melted within us in gratitude to god for the nu numerous mercus blessings which we have received at his handia a day when hen our hearts should be softened one towards another when there should be no ao hard feelings existing among the jitter liptzer day saints sainte nor aar towards toward those who do not belong to their faith when there be indeed upon earth peace and good will so that in the heart of very every soul the praise may ahmud unto god glory to god to in the highest for a son to is born unto mao mad a messiah calah has ban come to tt ti 9 earth and broughs redemption oa to the human family it Is seems m to me that this to a time when all past animosities should be buried every feeling that to Is not should be removed aad the example which our savior set us tin should be so firmly impressed upon our hearts hearte that it will constrain usan in the future to seek the service ol oi our ear fellowmen fellowman fel lowman to seek to do them goods good instead of harm that hat if we have wronged a br mer or a L feister in the pat past it may come up before us this day and inspire in our hearts a feeling of repentance amee for that wrong and a determination upon our part that we will to tile the extent of our power make good cod the wrong which we have done f tf f we have taken that from our fellow man which did not belong to us that bat the spirit of god may move upon our hearts heart to such an extent that we will wih be willi willing not only to restore the thing which we have taken but fourfold in value and that we will it if it takes everything avery thing that we possess on the earth or it at it humbles us no in the dust before our fellowmen lowman fel stone atone hereupon here upon the earth for the sins sine which we have committed that when the day cornea comes that the voice shall go forth that we are to go hence and meet our father to give an account for the deeds done in the body we shall have made atonement on earth as far as it lay jay in our power for the sins sine which we have commit committed Aed then we can a appear before our maker feeling that his mercy will be extended towards us for those weaknesses and imperfections to which all flesh is heir this thin day should cause us ua to reflect upon our situation and the place we occupy in the hearts of our fel have we wronged thera them have we given them offense have we placed ourselves in a position that they can justly attack ua ab have bave we misused the priesthood which god has given ua ab have we exercised un tigh righter teus us dominion over our fellows fello wf wo if so this day of all ot others herit which Is ie celebrated as the birthday of our savior should move upon our hearts to consider our position and amend our warps that the future may find us more strictly following the path which god has marked out for his servants eer to pursue this glorious gospel has made of us one family it has brought the high man down into a humble bumble position it has brought the exalted mancho have f received its teachings down and put him on a level with the poor man who has had scarcely sufficient food to keep soul and body together it has made of us a common brotherhood we are the children of god we know that he is in our father and though there may exist among men a difference ot degrees a difference of position a difference of wealth yet inthe in the church and la in the sight eight of god we ate are equal we are one we are brothers and we cannot afford therefore in view of these thing to deal unjustly one with another to offend each other to create divisions division among us or to have our hearts set ono one against another aa other our power will be weakened if we do so no it seems to we me that it if there is any aey testimony necessary to convince the world that a reformation has commenced such as has never occurred in the earth it to Is the fact that this gospel of the king dom is being preached to the poor among men when the disciples of john went to learn if jesus was la iu deed the christ the word was swat sent back as evidence that he was that the poor among men had bad the gospel preached unto thena them oh ob it if it were not for this gospel of the son aon of god how terrible would be the condition ot the bobr poor in the earth today when we look abroad and see am the he oppre salon that exists in the world among those who know not christ and a feeling that men who possess wealth are to add thereto regardless of the suffering which it entails upon their fe mellown ed cheo u we see the hand bund of oppression laid heavily upon those who are in dis distress where can we turn lor for hope or find peace and joy except in this gospel of the son of god which teaches us that it is in necessary fur men to impart of their substance unto the poor and needy that there may I 1 e no suffering among the children 0 f gou does it not lift up our hearts and fill them with praise and giving to the great creator who has devised such euch a plan for the temporal salvation as aa well as the eternal exaltation of his hie children and as aa no standard of wealth has haa been set up by which men are measured who enter this church go BO too tco no standard of education is ia necessary for a person to enter into the fold of christ the ignorant the unlearned the unlettered are as aa welcome to the church and to the fellows fellowship bip of the spirit of god as aa are the most moat wise wine among men yet the gospel teaches us that we cannot he e saved in ignorance iR norance that we cannot remain an ignorant people and receive exaltation but it in ia a fact that as aa soon as a person joins this church and receives the truth immediately a spirit takes possession of him to advance and progress in ia k knowledge nt w ledge and u understanding joseph smith though as we often say an unlettered youth became one of the most learned among his fellow fello wp because the gospel which god revealed to him him that advancement was necessary nor did he confine himber to the spiritual things as we call them but he devoted his hie time timena and applied his talents to the acquisition of that thai knowledge which to is esteemed afung the people of the ahe world so it is with every true letter latter day saint the gospel InO inspires Dires us to continued exertion in the ae acquirement qui rement of knowledge and especially of that knowledge of god which teaches men not only of things whish pertain to the eternal worlds but also of things which pertain to our earthly existence knowledge of art of science and of everything which will benefit and bless and make inake happy the people of the world the gospel also teaches us to have love for our fel lowman not to curse cune them but to bles baletis them how was it with our lord and maftei we read that upon one occasion when he found men desecrating dese crating the house of his father he took a scourge and drove them but it was not dot so 80 when they attacked him when they sought his destruction when he was be frayed we b by a kins it was not then that he exhibited anger and passion it was only in defense of hlo his father and his fathers house and not when he himself was oppressed beaten and crucified so it should be with the latter day saints firm they should be in the defense of truth and of the work of goo firm in defending the character of ef their brethren and sisters and in protect lua die abe reputation of the theard diligent in seeking the counsel of got goi and then carrying it out our and rot not administering abuse to th the people of the earth why if we wre were allowed to judge I 1 am afraid that we would show a spirit of intolerance which lit ill becomes the saints of god and therefore I 1 am thankful that things have happened in the midst of the latter ater day saints whereby they are brought in contact with the world and that they are re made to suffer to some extent that they may learn charity and love for their fel and be possessed of the spirit of long longsuffering suffering and humility we read in the doctrine and covenants that to us the duty is given to forgive all men but to the lord it is reserved to forgive whom he will the world will be saved they will receive glory just according to the merits of their lives here upon the earth and I 1 am thankful to believe that god will administer justice tempered with mercy so BO that the he good slid and the noble and those who have ve sought to do righteously according to the know knowledge ledge which has haa been imparted unto them will receive a glory acdan exaltation in the mansions of our heavenly father my brethren and st sisters aters I 1 feel that we should show to the world the charity which we ask at their hands bands we should not condemn them for their faults we should not curse cone them for their transgressions we should not utter anathemas ana azia themas against them because they do not see and understand as we do if we have received greater blessings and knowledge it has been through the he mercy and favor of god to us his poor children and he knows how weak and feeble we are and how unworthy we are of the great blessings which he best bestons bestows aws upon us if we could only turn our eyes inward and when we attempt to blacken the char actors or misjudge the acts of our fellows lows if we could see our own week weak nesses and scan our own imperfections it would at least restrain us from saying those things which would hurt our brother or injure his character let us ua strive to be governed gove rued in all things by the spirit of god that one year hence we may look bauk back with pleasure upon i ur ual lives aves and aej shoo alao be able to greitl y assist lo in the wort work of god and see the progress which hi hl i 4 church has maile made upon the arth a rth may this bu be our blessing from god upon this his dagand day and throughout the future lie Is my prayer io in the name of ef jesus amen |