Show Y M MI N I 1 A conference the semiannual semi annual conference of the Y M M 1 I A of the salt lake stake of zion commenced in the tabernacle sunday bunday october 24 1897 at 10 a in and 2 p in in the morning an officers meeting was held at which valuable instructions in mutual improvement work were given by the general and stake the remarks touching upon the methods to be pursued and the steps to be taken in inducing the young men to attend the associations in the afternoon the principal speaker was elder B H roberts although a portion of the time was taken up by president joseph F p smith the choir sang the anthem all hall hail the glorious day by prophets long foretold prayer was offered by elder james E talmage the choir further sang great god attend while zion sings the joy that from thy presence springs I 1 the general and stake authorities of the Y M M I 1 A were then than presented by stake superintendent R R T amanthe Ly manthe voting being unanimous in each instance the stake officers are as follows superintendent richard R lyman assistants joseph P 1 merrill heber C iverson secretary and treasurer Jesse 13 higgs corresponding secretary wm G sears musical director jno J mcclellan aids aida danl J lang horace D barber joseph A west T A clawson jas R Raw linb lint goo geo S mcallister louis R wells arthur E white peter jas sanders joseph S alvin A beesley gideon M mumford benj B brown ernest S heusser fredk best Za zachariah charlah butterfield albert spencer the M L I 1 A quartet rendered a vocal selection entitled lord we come before thee now elder B H roberts of the of the M I 1 associations addressed the congregation he began by beseeching an interest in the faith and prayers of those assembled that his remarks might be beneficial to all who had gathered together he first deferred lef erred to the vantage ground thrown open for the young men of zion taking up the belief of the saints as to the opening up of this last dispensation and the heavenly revelations received by the prophet joseph smith at the time when the father and the son appeared unto him and told him that none of the churches then organized upon the earth were true this fact said the speaker the lat ter day saints sainta believed in and they also believed that some three years distant from that time the lord had restored to the earth thus civi giving ng unto ancient inhabitants of this continent by giving unto the prophet t joseph the plates which contained those w writings r icings later the power of the priesthood was restored to the earth thus giang unto those receiving it the authority to go forth and preach the gospel to those who were in alzi darkness subsequent nt to this time the prophet was granted the power which moses had and was also made recipient of the ke keys ys which ellas elias held with respect to the gathering and the power of turning the hearts of the parents to their children and those of the children to their par ants before the coming of the terrible day of the lord thus were the authorities fiad and powers given to the saints here upon the earth continued the speaker they were revelations which were self evl evi dent to all the saints of god and being so thrust upon the pvn sainta ts 9 great te at responsibilities responsibilities which required that they live in harmony with that they had received this imposed upon them a duty which exacted of them the doing of the Ft fathers hers will because of the knowledge received concerning his purposes A departure depaz from his ways would bring upon the disobedient a scourge that waw was laid up for those whose actions did not merit the blessings following a strict adherence to his laws and commandments these were the happenings in which mormonism had its origin and be lieving in them it behooved ija to exercise their faith by their works by following out their dictates TO do this the holy spirit had to bw sought after that the grace of god would ever strive with the faints to it helping them to overcome their 11 herent weaknesses and living in manner appointed human effort was always necessary in an adherence ta religious matters but with it should be coupled that humility to seek after divine assistance wherein the tho people might be able to build upon wn efforts and thus add strength to theli their individual energies in that direction the speaker took the responsibility resting upon the young men among the latter day saints referring principally to the duty of preaching the gospel to the nations of the earths earth this duty said elder roberts was one of the most important irl in we the church the work of disseminating the principles of the gospel to those who ho knew it not was a task it was an undertaking which required not onty only the physical and financial strength of 0 the he community but one which required the assistance of the tord luord at all times it was a work which made rf of those engaged in it saviors upon mount zion teaching them to unite links anks which could never be severe severed cl ties which never would be broken 14 in speaking to those who were were about to engage in the ministry the lord save gave unto them a commandment teach I 1 ing them to fast and pray and to coo con verse with one an otheron another on the princa ples plea which they were to disseminate among the people these had been given to the elders in thir dispensation over sixty years ago ut were just as binding upon them to day as they were at that tim field was one which covered ground of divine knowledge ana VL unto the servants of the tota amirto opportunity to study the GOd gospel pelf aa to seek eek after new truths trutho and to themselves for the mini ministry stil r tn in they would be called to engage the mission of the saints WM weds to open v the way for their fetlow mem ly by giving unto theta them the knowledge that they themselves had rece received tved so 90 that their light would shine and become a glorious star in the firmament of the gospel work rome home missionary work was waa next referred to fo by the speaker this was a great essential among the saints of god statistics of the mutual I 1 improvement m pro association in the church showed a total enrollment of while this was a very good representation it was not what it should be said the speaker as the same ties also showed that the there re w were er e IQ 10 of mutual improvement ase age were not enrolled in the in tle the face of this showing there was great need for home missionary work among the young men of zion many of them had not yet been converted to the revelations in which mormonism had its origin and until they had been their assistance in the gospel work would be of very little importance thus the mutual improvement associations had a great work before them in gathering up those who were straying away from the duties which should devolve upon them each meaver bemb er added the speaker should constitute himself a committee of one to convert another to the necessity of attending the mutual improvement associations elder roberts congratulated congratulate dt the mutual improvement workers in the work in which they were engaged they were laying a foundation for grand results if they would stick to the line of the exercises mapped out for those connected with the associations active energetic work was required work calculated to build up the spiritual instincts of nature and which would bring those engaged in it nearer to their heavenly father the mutual improvement associations were not improvement gatherings for the purpose of passing away idle hours they had got beyond that and were destined to fit and prepare prepa the youth of zion for future responsibilities president joseph P F smith was the next speaker he called the attention of those assembled to the great work tn in which the latter day saints were engaged and referred to the necessity of the young men and young women of zion becoming acquainted with the importance of the mutual improvement work which said P resident president was no trifle neither was it a fable it was a reality which if complied with would enable the saints to reach the destiny in store for them to live their religion in the manner expected of them president smith briefly referred to the tendency of humankind to seek aft erthe things ot of the world despite their contrasting this with the indifference paid to the gospel of jesus christ which was destined to endure forever the choir sang the anthem 0 father whose almighty power the heavens and earth and seas adore and conference was adjourned for six months benediction being pronounced by elder brigham young of the council of apostles |