Show OUR PRESENT DUTIES discourse delivered at the tabernacle sau salt lake city sunday feb auary ad 1896 by jeler ABRAHAM H CANNON BY ARTHUR WINTER I 1 a ati fied to see the goodly num aam atter day saints who are in at wre ace ve at this meeting and I 1 trust lord will be pleased to give unto us that which will strengthen our faith and help helo us in the great work which ue lie hs called us to per forin 1 T wonder if there is any member 0 of I 1 the church who realizes the reat res i b clity that rests upon us as a peo giu doubt this thi very much indeed isid I 1 lam at sure that many of us have but mik abt comprehension of our duties hancl obligations pt const it if we may judge from the conduct of those who profess to be fix lawr r day daj saints Sai fite I 1 have wondered what W h t our condition would be in a cen defy i Y or two if god did not now and interpose to bring to us a realization of di he alp importance of the principles which cb pe he has revealed lor or you know hatt we now arid a gaill again become careless tod indifferent when something occurs chich is inexplicable to us and some tomes very vary trying to arouse our thoughts ax and to impress u us s with the importance adi A some forgotten or neglected duty uty I 1 urn reminded of df a story told by the week tet and roman churches church ts it ii runs in cje at the time the persecutions agre raging so bitterly against the early saints sainta se seven jen youths sought escape in a remote and lonely cave after a time ahe e lord mercifully permitted them to au isk asleep ep and so deep and long was their slumber that they did not waken two hundred years had passe passed I 1 when they were aroused grouted from their J steep they went forth into the city of ephesus to which they below belonged dand and IN timidly they began to enquire of the people if there were any christians in the city li christians was the response exise why we are all christians and is as evi evidence derice of it they pointed out the beautiful churches surmounted by the t ross tross wherein the worship of god was held beld and as these young men visited the schools of learning they found the principles of the gospel there taught according r to the written word they found it was popular to be christians instead of unpopular as it was when they hid bid themselves emperors with wealth professors with their learn ing ing even the humble workmen were fo on Bowers of the cross and professed dis i of jesus for a time lime they greatly cited in the changed condition of things but as they mingled among the people they found that while the pro sessions fes were abundant the spirit of the gospel was not with them the signs and gifts of faith were not manifested among the people and sorrowfully they retired to their cave where their prayers moved god to take them unto himself I 1 do not know because I 1 have not lived sufficiently long to compare conditions with what they were whether we are drifting away from the faith which characterized the people ot of god in early days but I 1 am led to believe from what I 1 read and see and hear that in some respects we are going into the same condition that prevailed when these young men came forth from their slumber I 1 ask myself it there is among us that simple undeviating unquenchable faith which we hear was manifested in the early rise of the church it was then considered an evidence of weakness in the faith for latter day saints to depend other than upon god for the restoration of their sick unto health I 1 remember reading and you doubtless have read also that whenever the people were afflicted the first thought of the relatives and of themselves if they were capable of thinking was to seek the ministrations of the elders of the church believing in the words of the ancient apostle that the prayer of faith shall save the sick now however I 1 find many hundreds of families among this people whose first thought is not for god and his power not lor for the elders of the church but for human skill and wisdom to relieve them from the pain and sickness with which they are afflicted true when human power fails and human agency has been exerted to its utmos then the people will send for the elders as a last resort instead of as a first resort and if their sick die under such circumstances too often they complain at the lack of faith among the people and the loss of power among the elders and the decrease of the gifts of the gospel in the church when if they would seek the cause of many of the afflictions which come upon thew them they would find it in their own faithlessness and neglect of duty we are much in the condition of the two fishermen of whom the story is told that they found themselves one day as the tide was coming in surrounded by water upon some rocks just off from the english shore and as the waters rose around them they began to think of prayer one asked the other to pray but he refused saying he did not know how his companion finally decided to offer a prayer and he vegan began pleading with the lord for deliverance he promised to devote hi life to his service he promised him all his sheep and his lambs lam bs at which his companion whispered to him that he did not own any sheep or lambs oh says the man tm just stuffing staffing him he was trying to deceive the lord because he was in in danger he was trying to deceive his maker with an outward show of sanctity and humility it seems to me that sometimes we as latter day saints are in this same condition that when trouble comes and disaster overtakes us we seek god covenanting with him to keep his commandments and to do his will while in our hearts there it is no real intention of doing as we promise I 1 know that with the faith which belongs 10 to this gospel the sick ajl can n be healed haae d today I 1 know that when human skill is powerless is is unsuccessful GJ god is near to hear and answer the petitions of his children I 1 know that the gift of healing is within the souls of men and women here in the flesh and they could exercise it if the people who appeal for their help and ministration as per servants and handmaidens hand maidens of god were only illy in ii a condition to receive these blessings yet I 1 would not say a word against the use of the wisdom which god gives to us I 1 delight in seeing men study the human organism to leam its functions to be capable of relieving pain to assist suffering humanity in their dis tresses but I 1 feel that our elders who study medicine and who desire to acquire skill in surgery should be men of edth in god dependent depeu dent above everything else upon the assistance which the lord is witling willing to give eive to the learned and the skillful as well as to the un learned and awkward yet with all our learning as physicians and as surgeons we have only crossed the threshold of the science of medicine new theories are coming into acceptance in the medical world new discoveries are being made that put to shame the present and the past learning of physicians ceans i you who have followed follone d this profession ia know the changes that have occurred you know that nevy discoveries are occurring almost daily to relieve suffering humanity why there isa is a large body of people in this country today who do not believe in the use of medicine at all in relieving sickness and pain the man who instituted the system of osteopathy as it is called was ridiculed when he first announced his belief that by manipulation disease could be cured pain could be relieved and health ind and strength be instituted but now he be has a large following you know of the disi dis veries coteries co that pasteur and edson and others have made and now comes a new revelation to scientists and the medical fraternity the discovery whereby a human skeleton covered as it is with flesh can be photographed and surgeons will be able to examine diseased bones or other parts of the sya tern tem without using the knife until it is I 1 known to be absolutely necessary these things prompt me to remark that physicians and surgeons are only upon on the threshold of this great science E of life ife and the brethren who undertake this study and who will allow their studies to be governed by the spirit ol of god will become the discoverers of great truths yet unknown to men of science tor for the spirit of god that pass eth all human understanding can reveal to you my brethren to you my sisters things that are hidden from the knowledge of notwithstanding men their years of study of experiment and of investigation dinv inv esti and while we use skill and while we attempt to acquire skill and knowledge it should at all times be controlled and governed by the influence of the spirit of god if physicians come into my home I 1 want to see men of faith men who believe in god and in his power men who can pray to him or women who can pray to him with the assurance that their prayers will be heard beard and answered men and women of humility and of meeknes a knowledge that every gift they possess is from god and that they are responsible to him for its proper use skill coupled with faith will prolong life I 1 believe that with the exercise of faith and the wisdom that god has given us we will be able to establish a con of things among this people that is not found in the world there will be less death people will live to the age of a tree and will pass away peacefully and without pain the average age of man will be prolonged far beyond its present limit and there here will be a long lived race A race of people will be established in these mountains whose physical and intellectual strength will be the admiration of the world I 1 see too in the lack of love among the people a departure from the early principle which governed the latter day saints lings among the saints I 1 strife and contentions in almost every ward and certainly in every stake of cf zion quarrels too which the arbitration of men of god will not overcome quarrels between men bearing the high priesthood riest hood men who are kindred to each other as well as those who are only kindred in the church quarrels between families that cannot be corrected if they are apparently overcome it is only the covering up of the fires that burn in the soul corrupting and devastating those who entertain the spirit which results from this discord and strife do you think such people can be true latter day saints who with an outward show of forgiveness and of reconciliation still harbor in their heir souls the hatreds and the an masities mosi ties which these quarrels have created they cannot bijoy ei joy the spirit of cf god is as long jong as this condition of affairs continues the advice that is given to us in the doctrine and covenants is so plain that none should tail to understand it how our differences are to be settled how our quarrels are to be overcome it thy brother or sister offend thee thou take him or her between him or her and thee alone and it he be or she confess thou shall be reconciled such a settlement latter day saints should seek to gain when any trouble comes between them and their fellow men and wen troubles are settled in this way they art are generally thoroughly completely and eternally settled chete it is necessary to bring in the services of a teacher or 01 teachers or the judgment of a bishops bishop court or a high council it is seldom indeed I 1 do not know of a single instance where there has been complete harmony and good feeling reestablished established re between the quarreling par carlies ies lies we of all people upon the face of the earth should be filled with that love ol of god which cannot be overcome by the acts of men even though these acts are injurious to us we should be able to say when wrong is done us the lord judge between me and thee arid and from our hearts there should be crushed out every feeling of bitterness and hatred for if we allow a spark thereof to re main it will rankle and it will grow as the weed choking out the good se seed ed and preventing the development of the power of the spirit of god within us I 1 say there is love the love of the pel lacking among this people I 1 wonder how bow many of us would today do as the early saints did when they were driven from nauvoo and only a jew peo pie were possessed of the means to transport themselves to a place of safety every man covenanted before god that he would not rest nor would he withhold his means until every soul had been gathered from out that city which had been attacked by the mob and in marching across these weary plains there was no thought on th part of the people to neglect their poor brethren and sisters who were et eft behind waiting the time of deliverance klow how many of us would do this today if we were driven hence or if the occasion atoe arose tor for the sacrifice ot of time and comfort and property for the good of our fellow men I 1 fear the trial would be greater than any we have yet encountered in this church because of the increase ot of wealth among us and its I 1 was going to say its unjust divi division ion I 1 will nut not say that but its tint division among th ahr latter day saints a condition which will not be plea pleasing to god gad when his work is established in in its power and in its glory in the th latter days lor for he has foreshadowed foreshadower fore shadowed in the revelations which he has given to us that there must come a time when this inequality these hills and hollows among oe o ii e people be cause of wealth cannot exist they must be equal in all things whether they be temporal or spiritual it is then I 1 ccok k ok for one of the greatest trials the people have ever met and do you think it will come about from our own inclination reg regardless ol of th manipulations of god concerning the law I 1 do not expect it because we have made the eff rt to establish the principle ol of t quality among Us ds and have been unsuccessful in it and we rest under the condi bondt amna tion to some extent of disobedience diance but it will come around arlund in such a way that we will be glad to see the law established and the people of the nation and the earth seeing its perfect workings will rejoice that there will be a place upon we the earth where the conflict between the rich and ane buor dues il not ot exist and ahei e there will be no edit ness nor paupers haupers pau pers where peace will reign even t ahe e p ace u ut heaven edven w when n the whole world otherwise will be in confusion discord and strife and mens hearts wil fail them fur for tear fear and their eyes will cast about to ainu a place of refuge and of solely from the troubles that afflict the human family day is coming and it is nearer than the latter day saints estimate those who have the love of the gospel i in their souls will find no trial in this ne new cw of things those who observer observe 5 the greatest and the second greatest commandments as enunciated by abe savior will find no difficulty in m meeting e c these requirements they will love god with all their hearts and their nei neighbor as themselves do you think i it be any trial for me to give my br brothers a half or the whole of my pro property prop perty eity if I 1 i loved him as myself there would tiet be no trial whatever in it but the selfishness of mortality the covetousness of this fallen estate clings to me and clings to each one of us and chokes oat the pure love ot of god that love which was vm exemplified in the life ot the savior to in this respect we have departed from the original feelings which inspired latter day saints in the early rise of die church we are lacking in another thing W the seeking of counsel from those who preside over us what F t make slaves ot eft the people ask them to seek counsel of these bishops these men who work side by side with them that was the way they did in nauvoo in Kirtlan dand in in other places they |