Show CHURCH organization remarks made at the general conference of the church in the tabernacle sau salt lake my saturday april aril ath by ELDER FRANCIS M LYMAN 2 REPORTED BY BV ARTHUR WINTER I 1 pray that the spirit of the lord may rest abundantly n us especially our brethren who are called upon to speak for it is an unusual task to address so large an assembly there is generally danger that we pitch our voices too high and they break upon us I 1 shall be pleased if I 1 can speak just loud enough to be heard and yet not waste any volume of my voice 1 esteem it a very great privilege 0 attend these general conferences it is a very important matter that the people should gather together twice t wice i a year in general cori conference ference to transact the general business ot of the church by common consent we also meet four times a year in every stake to transact the business of the stake we meet at least once a year in our wards to transact the business of the ward changes continually become necessary through deaths and removals and other causes and it seems essential that the organization of the church and all of its departments part ments be kept perfect that there shall not be too much labor testing resting upon a lew few out but the responsibility be properly pr perly shared according to the design of our heavenly leather in the organization of his church I 1 presume that this church organization is is a perfect one when it is kept complete with the first presidency and the general authorities the labor is properly divided and no one needs to be overworked then when our stakes are complete in their organization iza isa tion with the presidency and a high council with bishops and their counselors and the regular helps in govern ment there is no need for any part being neglected hence I 1 say that it is a very important part of our lives and experience that we meet together geLber to on occasions of this kind not only to transact the business and keep the church organization perfect but that we may also receive the word of the lord and the counsels ot of the holy spirit through the presidency and the apostles who hold the keys ot of the kingdom and who ho have held those keys from the beginning beginning and will hold those chose keys to the end when these ddn stand up before u to give us instruction they do so a as athe the oracles of heaven hea iven they do not stand in their own strength nor in their own wisdom they are not given to ibi ing by the light of their own experience experienc and judgment discourses to be presented before the people but they store their minds with information with every particle of light and wisdom and understanding that can be obtained from our heavenly father and they stand before you to be moved upon by the holy ghost and when they speak they speak forth scripture their words are scripture just as the words of the apostles peter james and john and of the apostles are scripture their the i r words are the words of truth the w words of the lord and they are particularly suited it ed to the requirements of the peo people pu at the present time the words of the lord that came through his servants in olden times were important and were fitted to the condition of the people who received them the words of the lord given to the Nep hites under the direction of the savior when he visited this continent were suited to the requirements of that people at that ti time in e yet the truths enunciated to the peoples of the east and ot of the west so tar far as they pertain to doctrine and the plan of lile life and salvation are suited also for us but we find ourselves at times in emergencies and conditions chat that require the counsels of the lord just suited to the occasion counsels bu suited cited to a people located in the valleys of these mountains not to the people of jerusalem 1800 years ago not to the people in south america 1400 years ago and more israel has been gathered today from the four corners of the earth in in answer to the establishment of the principles ot salvation by the savior wa have cities and towns to build we have country to subdue and counsels peculiar to the afie locations and to the circumstances that surround us are needed beede d we have an endless variety of experience and of difficulties to meet and grapple with in this life and it is necessary that there should shoula be three men sta standing riding as the presiding authority of f the church upon the earth represent ing our father who is in heaven one man being the mouthpiece ot of god to the whole world and a prophet seer and revelator such as president is today and such as president john taylor president brigham young and president joseph smith were As these men were in their day so is president woodruff today and when president woodruffs work shall be filled some other man designated by the voice of god will stand at the head of this groat great work epou the earth the lord will provide the man and he will provide him two counselors who shall also be men of god competent to voice the mind and will of god to the people then associated with these three are the chosen Twel twelve the twelve Apost apostles lesof of the lamb who have been selected to stand and by the presidency and to be a presiding etch traveling high council to the church u who hold the keys of the kingdom with authority to regulate and set in order the affairs thereof and under the discipline of the church that has so perfectly developed during its experience of sixty five years today this work has come to completion in its organization it is the business also of the pie presiding siding authorities of the church to use their hel helps in government presidents of V st stakes es high hig councils bishops and their counselors and the quorums of the priesthood to not only set in order occasionally but to keep the church in order that it may be cared for in its organized capacity and that the proper attention shall be given by the courts of the church to see that whatever of unpleasantness or disagreement arises shall receive proper attention in the proper time that if difficulties threaten if disorders appear on the surface they shall be looked after just as the skilful physician looks after the health ot of a patient it is the duty of these organizations izat ions to attend to these affairs you who are acquainted with the conduct of the affairs of the church know that the presidency of the church when their attention is called to any special part of the kingdom or to any mission or if there is any difficulty that needs prompt attention they never neglect the matter but messengers are forwarded 1 at once if there is difficulty in any stake of zion if difficulty should a arise rise in in any mission as did arise once upon the sandwich islands and apostles were sent posthaste post haste to set in order and regulate the affairs of that mission when such occasions ari arise sethe the first presidency are competent and are authorized to take care of them and they have all the helps that they require They have not only the twelve apostles that can be sent with authority and power but they have the presidency and high council of every stake and the bishopric of every ward as well as the quorums of the priesthood and other helps in government in the midst of the church so that the church is carefully cared for and the people are nourished corrected reproved instructed and looked after that their salvation may be secured this is necessary for we find that it is the nature 0 men to wander and to fall into sin it is the nature of men to love the things that we ought not to indulge in it needs therefore careful attention from the various authorities of the church so that whatever of evil presents itself may be checked in its incipiency we have found in our experience peri ence that where the brethren who have charge of the various depart ments meats of the work give careful and early consideration to matters that require their attention difficulties are easily cured and the people are readily relieved of any trouble that seems to threaten them but if evil comes into their midst and it is neglected it seems to poison thi th circulation of the community and it becomes worse and worse until it sometimes occurs that matters in a ward reach such a serious stage that the bishopric of the ward is not competent to correct the evil it is so also in a stake the result is the matter goes from the bishop to the high council and from the high agh council to the first presidency tor for their attention and consideration all these men who are called to these positions are chosen men president woodruff is a chosen vessel his counselors are chosen men these apostles are chosen men these presidents of stakes are chosen men they are men who have been chosen by the voice of the lord our father who dwells in heaven hath bath made choice of every one of these men and we may go further members of the high councils are chosen by the voice of the lord these men are arb not in the field applying for places and position in the church and to my knowledge there has been no such thing occurred in the history of this church as a man applying for a position in the presidency in the apostleship Apostles bip or in any other position not even as a teacher in a ward the teachers have been called and chosen as well as these ot other ier brethren the bishop and his bounsel counselors ors cast their eyes over their brethren weigh and measure them and take note of their faith and their worth to find teachers they do not always find perfect men in fact I 1 do not think that up to this date a perfect man has been found among us but the lord has taken the very best material that he could get he may not have taken all the best there may be others that are just as good to make presidents apostles and presidents of stakes and bishops ac as have been used but as a rule as good men as we have among us have been selected they have been chosen for their virtue for their honesty for their integrity for their love of and devotion to the gospel and they are generally men who have been in the service of the lord until the holy ghost has become their companion and their counselor and guide in all things as near as possible I 1 know in in my expert ence which has been considerable for a young man that we put our heads to gether we pray to god we humble ourselves before the lord and in every instance we say father manifest to 10 us by the holy spirit who is the man to fill this position we have no preferences if no brothers or kindred that we desire to promote but thy iby will be done in the matter and the inspiration of the lord comes to us by the holy oly ghost there is no way for it to come but by the holy ghost when the holy ghost signifies to us that a certain man shall be placed in a certain position we take hold of him and the people feel and understand that he is the man for the position the spirit of the lord bears witness to the hearts of the brethren who hold the priesthood and of the people those who bear the authority of heaven have the right to appeal to the lord and obtain from him counsel and inspiration in regard to every mat ter of choice this kingdom is organ iced by the inspiration of the almighty it is so sustained and will be to the end it will never grow less than it is today but it will increase increase in numbers and spread abroad As the people increase i m p numbers robers and faith the church will wil I 1 increase nc reade in strength and power indi vl duals may fan fall by he mick al and financial trials and a van variety ty of other things may come yaupon us sins secret and public may come in upon auwon us and destroy some but the church of christ will go on forever increasing and gaining strength and power and it will be brought to the notice of the world more plainly and potently than it is today the world will be brought to look upon this people as a marvel in the earth compared with all other people and the noble and the great ones of the earth will come here to visit the latter day saints who are not a learned veople people not an aristocratic people but a simple plain people gathered from the honest humble and conscientious ot of the world the strength is in israels god not in the people not in our hereditary greatness but in our simplicity and our honesty and purity I 1 speak of this that we may have a comprehensive view of the organization of this church and of the importance of the business that we come together to transact in our conferences it is is necessary for the health the prosperity and advancement of the church that this labor should be performed every quorum every organization and every association should be cared for so that none shall be neglected and that the church may be in healthy condition and that when the bridegroom comes we shall have oil in our lamps that we may do his will and keep his commandments mand ments and be worthy 0 ol 01 his favor and blessing his salvation and exaltation is my prayer in the name of jesus christ amen |