Show GENERAL conference the sixty be seventh annual conference of the church of betus christ of eatter day saints convened in III tile salt bait lake city at 10 a m oo on sunday april 4 1897 president ceorge Q cannon presiding dent enford woodruff heing being absent on account of sic knew elder of the quorum of the twelve was not uL for the some same eaon son of ta the general authorities present precept sin eo abe be stand there were of the first preside presidency ncy george Q cannon and joseph joeph F smith ot of the quorum boo um of ate twelve A post jec lore u so snow franklin D richards francis M john henry smith george teesdale Te aidale reber heber J grant john W taylor marriner W merrill and anton H luna patriarch john of the first seven presidents of seven alee sey seymour man r B young C D Fjola ted B B H roberts and george of the presiding bishopric ww B Z preston robert T burton burtch and john B R winder the first meeting of conference AWAs largely attended many of the keople being befog compelled to stand during the pervious cerv icee oss conference was wan called to order by george Q cannon the abair and congregation sang ang the which begina bedim our god we raise to thee bee thanks for for thy blessings ble tree free we here enjoy opening prayer brayer by elder john B D T mcallister the chair softly beams the sacred dawning af the great millennial morn Q CANNON maid ald president woodruff desired dedred me to bear hla his love jove to the conference he liaa bra been lud imposed for a few days day tout la Is much hotter better though Boaro elj 7 croog accove enough to come coma to meeting this orning he fie hopee however to br be with ua no at some time during the conference in order wat that there may be an concern relating to his hie health I 1 wish to may aay that bat be to la much better wan baa he be has baa been he la in somewhat weak but feeling very well otherwise me has baa been troubled for little time back with insomnia wat bat li in and this thia has baa worn on him blaa but he has baa been sleeping very well for be lost two or three days daya and sights I 1 thought that this announce abent to the conference would satisfy the inquiries of a good many who have aboard that he was waa not well the speaker then directed the atten tion of the general assembly to the prosperous oua condition of the work of the ord wat that he was looking apon pon hla his people with wilk favor reports report from all partog part alot of the world bowed un matual suctions resulting from the efforts of the elders abroad abraao eleven bun dred souls had been added to the achurch io in the southern states beatea alone in that gold field it was waa expected that bat by the lit ind end or of the present year the number of sunday taboos organized would reach bluer elf ellaa S kimball dealdea ides there in abe stern and middle Is states prospects proa were flattering thle being the report brought by elder samuel W richards Bio hardi who had pre eded there theire fox for over two bearr HO fie bad bow bean irk in that position by elder alonzo kepler keoler brother celeb presided in the northwestern states he was waa located and laboring in chicago much good was WAR being done and new openings being made for the spread of the gospel dospel in that sec bee ti liuo n elder nye bad charge chang of I 1 the californian min mission A most uloet encouraging feature of present missionary labors labor was wae the increase of faith among the elders indicated by bj many of them traveling without purse and scrip they had bad been greatly blessed in complying with this re their wants wanta had been kup supplied cuppl plied led the ibe lord having operated upun the people opening heir hearts to receive the servants of even ill n great britain and on the continent of europe numbers or of fluor elders were trying to travel in thin thia way although it U was waa difficult to do this bib completely on account of the fear far existing in ID relation loB to nihilism and socialism y men without money were liable lu t u be arr arrested bated and imprisoned in europe the work was waa prospering especially in 10 northern sweden and la in holland elder spencer who recently returned from the latter country gave a most moat flittering flattering flitt ering account of the results following the preaching of the gospel there in germany the be missionaries were being given larger liberty than hereto fore and some men of prominence were juall ned to investigate abe gospel for the present the elders elden dowing ba to difficulties been withdrawn tram turkey and thi work there left to the abe management of local sainte an encouraging aspect was waa presented by the polynesian islands and indeed the whole situation of the work abroad was wai prosperous proe god had bad a won darful change upon the minds ainia of he abe peoples peopled of the earth the deadly hatred toward the saints batata which had existed aried at times had bad disappeared thirteen hundred elders eldera were to in the field mud and calls for more inore laborers laborera were coming from every dire direction oLlon alto bother the work of the lord was waa never mure more prosperous than now how president cannon directed attention to the he fact that abat a mighty field had scarcely been bean touched the peoples ot 01 the mut bero portion fortion of this continent where there were millions of Lam aultes to whom the gospel had yet to be carried toe the speaker then mentioned the fact that operations opera tlona were I 1 lu b programs in fields nearer home elders eldera edward stevenson and mat wiss F cowley bad visited the north idaho and montana where they bau bad been warmly their attended with success the same ame could beskid be laid in ii relation to recent Js ji bore bora in idaho by elders elden jonathan 0 kimball and henry W naisbitt Nals bitt while elder john johb W taylor of the quorum of we the twelve had opened up a masslon in colorado wai ladeby made by the speaker to tom a recent probability of division in abe church at home on account ot of erroneous doctrine having been pru amul gated and false statements made A reaction loa had bad set et to in however re be ports pone from all the were to the fleet that those who bad been misled were having their heir minds mind enlightened all AH signs indicated that the me saints were growing la in an understanding 4 of abs tbs duties dalles ot of the priesthood god had boa luita ined his servants mer vanse and people la in every dark hour and would continue to do go BO president cannon briefly reviewed the condition ol of the various auxiliary organizations of the church notably the young meno men o and young ladles Lia diek mutual improvement associations he mentioned that the sunday school membership had bad increased nearly during the pant pad year and the faial of oera and members was now about there had been a con ahi erable increase in the membership of the childrens children s primary the report showing an enrollment of besides 2770 officers and if every stake bad reported the probable aggregate would be shown to be about there had also alao been a gratifying increase of religion classes the object of which was wai to provide religion religious instruction for children of the saints who attended the public schools oho at the close cloae of president Preel dent Can cantonia nonia di course slater sister mable cooper sang bang thee 0 lord will I 1 lift lifs my reoul PRESIDENT JOSEPH F SMITH nuth was waa the he next speaker he referred with gratification to the preaching of the gospel without purse puree or soran credit for this condition being due in great measure mea flure to elder ellaa 8 kiln kall ball president of the southern state mi eelen selon he advised all parents whose avas were on missions miB siona to exhort them to trust in the loidl instead of ler far ni obling them with an all abundance of at loss merob he showed that the excellent lem of faith and were by adherence adb erenee to theme geee and aad other principles of et self belf sacrifice meo men and women thus thua grounded in he faith were moved by trial or diffy aulty referring to a letter latter he be had received complaining of the existence of the first presidency of the church gjent smith read from section of the doctrine and covenanted Covenant Covena ato ej where the and duties of the two great a divisions of the priesthood are defined one who had been high la in authority aug bority tied bad even advocated that the first presidency should not have been or anizel after the death of the prophet joseph joaeph smith but the prodding presiding am aa thorny abound have been left with the A with an executive committee appointed from that body to take the active management of attain that this idea was contrary to the be order of too priesthood was waa proved by we abe further reading of tile the section lection above referred to reading beading concerning the con ferring of ahe or pree liing over the whole church upon spon the pint first presidency who were named in the he revelation perused peru Bed he said the law of god therefore was waa to we effect that the church should mould not exist for any great length of time without the three presiding of floers to represent god in an the earth the me further description of the he church was waa read to show abow now how exact the pattern was waa and now how literally it mu be adhered to ta in order that the churon church might be per act in its if organization and its if work ings the sang aasc the anthem I 1 how beautiful beau upon the mountains mountain are the feet of him that bri hrin geth ngeth good tl linx the solo ablo of ef whlor was waa rendered by sister ainsle taomas edward benediction by elder david H cannon candon afternoon session singing by the choir and oon con grega tion clon of god moves in a mysterious way las hia wonders wonder to perform jae he plants his footsteps aota tepa in the sea ana rides ride upon the storm prayer by fluor bluer B fl the choir sang rang the anthem 1 when thou to judgment the golo being rendered by sister thomas edward ALDER LORENZO SNOW addressed the conference he read from ft A revelation section of the abe and covenants given to joabb smith and oliver cowdery with whom the speaker was wag acquainted ed it was given la in we toe kirtland temple tempi and nj described the visitation of the bord jesus christ to those to whom and told of the be it was j great promises made by the savior on ah sr condition of faithfulness faithful new he ad vid ivil abe saints to read the whole of ams cion at tasir hornet homes the so ac of the speaker with joseph ur the prophet ProP bt was waa quite extensive and ISO he tied bad opportunities of becoming aware are of his ba sterling arjang uprightness and alder then treated upon the of the saints building build ln upon clao se foundation of truth ordinary iona of iod god WM was not Buffi for that teat purpose the possession of wisdom direct is from god was wai essential ewe nUa this was conveyed canT eyed by the principle of revelation relation of which every honest abma alibi become posa eased lie he urn showed bowed the abe processes by which cove relation lation could be secured and ested the operation of faith and 1 ite confirmation upon the human with the latter day stints abers was ac a spirit which enabled them to 40 understand naden tand what they read about til the truth they thus imbibed be oi of their the fam a part beings being aaker related bume of his bis early experiences perien ces under the he operation of this bowl gr 9 which opened up his mind to a brer ellea reIr comprehension of ef the scrip aur taree sad aad enabled him to 9 take ke a wider arance DK than over ever before corning concerning he cho things of god he had received by revelation a complete understanding i of the dirin divinity itY of at the principles he had paused espoused we ought to 0 o oong congratulate ratu to ourselves as a latter day saine on ate glorious prospects which had opened up to us while la in ignorance of f abe gospels gospel when we w received out our vivo alva and ago children we looked forward to so a permanent perma neut separation at death now bow however everl we anticipated with a holesa hope an eternal union with teem hem in the he world to come the fewker ker then treated the subject of laboring in 10 the temples in behalf ol of our oar dear kindred that they hey might be redeemed and saved he exhorted the saints to give his 0 department part ment of the work of god special I 1 Uen lon there wao wa nothing we bould du do wat that afforded more happiness and nd satisfaction jilder 0 RICHARDS of the mo quorum of apostles followed me he said in substance much gra grabill gratl till fl could be felt fell at the progress pro grees of abe he work of god in the world which was a continuation of the work done by the ancient apostles men the priesthood should hould bear in mind wat that they were fulfilling the prophetic assurances of the prophets of old it was a wonderful thing that of the reformers who had succeeded so go well in introducing true principles into the world it should remain for the cho prophet josepe smith to receive the authority of the priesthood by which the ordinances ordinance of the gospel could be per formed and its iti promises fulfilled john the baptist introduced the authority the method and the law pertaining to baptism which according to the law jaw announced to nicodemus by jesus must be adminis teral to or for all I 1 living and dead before they could be received into the kingdom of heaven rho rhe priesthood with its power of prea chlor the gospel to the living and the dead and the ministration ml aastra of the holy ghost was given by peter james and john by which all laings bilings could he be gathered into one whether in heaven or on earth all these gifts and blessings were introduced through the prophet joseph smith and bid bia associates wb who were now engaged in the administration of those blessings to the spirits spirit of the dead in the temples et at the he saints work was being done does under the approval of christ to bring into proper effect the preaching to the spirits in prison taus was b baang a dg fulfilled the prophecy of moses in deuteronomy 28 regarding the gather gathering iniC of acabi israel under the law of gd looking forward to the personal reign of christ upon the be earth the saints should keep these great principles in mind and aad leave petty a intentions and strife turning their attention to the confirmation of she be blessings promised to too tae seed of abraham excessive worldly minded nes was deplored especially in the direction of speculation but good advice was given with reference to extracting strength from the oil moll for the sue us of man rider elder richards Bio harda re juiced to in the work of god so promisingly instituted and bore his bis beati mony many to its ito truth declaring that in the months of at two or three witnesses these theme words of testimony were war stab liabos strangers and saints were advised to investigate in full fall the principles of tile the gospel in order to find justification for thorn them unity and fellowship were commens commended led for the enlargement of the understanding mull and of faithful 0 ei in the she performance ef the work of tied jed it should progress in the world the bonds and prohibitions now BOW checking its if spread being removed to admit of its spread apparent sacrifices would be round like the sowing of the seed producing a hundred hund reil told fold to the glory ot ft god and the salvation of man prayer diligence and increased faithfulness ware strongly gly urged for the bringing about of immortality and eternal life brother richards Bio hards stated that the oali call for missionaries waa increasing and great faithfulness was being manifested in the performance of the labors labon of the |