Show REMARKS MADIN BY BT PRESIDENT JOSEPH F SMITH at A the ae weber stake conferences conference ogden luly july 19 1893 sunday gudy afternoon REPORTED BY BT ARTHUR WINTER 1 I 1 feel t hav the privilege of with the Saint Bin in once meeting this to la only the believe a gain as I 1 second or third time that I 1 have bad since I 1 returned home the pleasure after an absence of six elx or seven years yeara ot of one 06 or two little I 1 want to things that have been brought to my other places which mind here and at to some ome of 0 us I 1 be profitable may call the attention of 0 the would like to especially the bishops bishop congregation to the mode of administering adminis the ne ao Kament the book of uni that the elder covenants Cove nanto teaches us administers the sacrament or priest who shall ishall kneel with atie church is ie quite difficult and of 01 course it probably inappropriate for a whole congregation while the blessing is stion to kneel greg gre gation broad bread and the upon being asked aed upon and noise con COD the water the kneeling and ugal incident to besides the inappropriate would be construction of our meeting houses bouses and the size of the congregations generally would be rather impracticable practicable In with but there is IB nothing taftt that practiced would make it in that of that I 1 know for the elder who asks the blessing bleming appropriate to kneel as the word of the noticed in the lord requires I 1 have tabernacle in salt lake city where should be example the W probably et that the Jui bishops shops who ask aak the blessi blessings Migg on the bread wid and the water do so standing upon their feets feet an and d I 1 see that the same rolel applies here I 1 have spoken to shurtliff in relation iun to the brot brother he r matter and house be assures ures me that in the future sin an ecamp example e will beset be set in this thia administer the regard and those who sacrament Bao will kneel eel when araking the blowing it to Is not that this form is Absolu absolutely iely essential to the R acceptance of this ordinance by the lord bul bui it is in in accordance with elih the word of the lord which was wa given for our guidance and where it la 19 possible to follow the she written word wordin jIU the spirit in which it to is given it is in ai always W rave better to do two so indeed by doing so we will avoid a serious wrong that might eventually for the rules of disregard grow out a that the ard haa bag established for it might leau to a ob ohanui singing ng to some extent of the ordinances of the house of god it is necessary that we shoud pay proper atten attention tio a a aud u d care to carry pay of the lord iu in I 1 ing g out the be purposes the manner which he has haa revealed ana this may be extended to other matters of our r religion elig ioD one ot of the charges brought against the children ot israel barat and mentioned by the prophets prop heto in the latter times was that they have transgressed the laws lawa changed the ordinance broken the everlasting covenant NI that is really the complaint haidt against the world today and it re Is not meet that we should indulge in any such things another matter which has attracted attractor ou my attention considerably of late and on which I 1 have reflected some is the apparent disregard by our people generally of all species of piety in the world the people as aa a rule show enow forth their religion by their forms of piety and many of the estt latte tj erday er day rd saints who have been gathered from the world had bad become so sickened with these forms forma ot of piety p that it looks to me now as though they had bad laid the loun foundation dation for the other extreme while I 1 do not believe it necessary for persons who love the lad L rd and who have received the mouy of the spirit ot of god lu in their bearbe to go about with a heavy countenance du do think that we should shoula nold bold maciej that which god bas baa pronounced sacred the latter day saints sainte cannot be truthfully accused ui the crimes that are prevalent in the world of course they are wrongfully chused ot or a great many things but when hon it cornea comes to accusing latter day saints of being dishonest indolent lazy and unthrifty they are charges thug that cannot be sustained rhey are not thriftless they are not indolent but they are industrious s frugal sober hardworking honet honest and honorable rhey certainly cannot accuse us ua ut 01 being guilty of the grosser crimes which exist in the wonlu we cannot be called a people who patronize fea loons or places or of gaming or any other disreputable placed because we abhor these things we are comparatively free from these crimes and ab abominations omiDa which exist to such an alarming extent in the world these are true fizits t if f genuine religion when you see a people mat are industrious honest aud and virtuous and this is their general character then you see a people in whom the fruits of true religion abound although we are not guilty of these gro groeber aber offe offenses uses it is painfully apparent in man many V places that the litter day saints have leaned so far the other way from the forms of piet now existing in the corli that they have almost descended into a disregard 9 ard for many things that are sacred and an 1 holy in the sight of gou god this should hould not be partaking of the sacrament ac of the lords lord le supper to Is a very solemn thing and one that we ghoul abou d observe with the grei greatest tt possible care we should do it in a manner that will be acceptable to the lord and not bring upon ourselves condemnation it was said by paul that many of the saints in olden times were W ore weak and sickly and many macy slept because of their disregard of this sacred principle we are familiari familiar presume pre aume with the requirements the lord has bag made of us in relation to this matter and the object he had in ID view in establishing tills this principle amongst us it was that we might partake of it in remembrance of him and by so doing witness unto him that we do oer ner him and that we are willing to keep the commandments which he has given unto us that we may ai always ways have his spirit to be with us it seems a very simple tiling indeed to partake of a morsel of bread and drink a little water very different from the bullocks of cambs jambs and goats etc as the chil children dien of israel had to do fur for this thia law of sacrifice was established in ancient times in order that he be people might bear in mind the great sacrifice that was to be made tor for the redemption of the world but jesus fulfilled the law in his death and resurrection and in lieu ot of the ancient sacrifice he has baa established this simple of partaking of broad bread and wine or water in memory of him the trouble is we often partake of the sacrament without any particular regard to the object thereof and it appears to be necessary from time to time to call the attention ot of the latter day saints to this matter while the lord does not afek that we shall go about with a sorrowful countenance to mourn and lament that we are most miserable sinners sin tiers and thai tha there Is no do good in us etc as some of the world do yet he does require that we shall observe this ordinance which he has established and that we do it with clean hands and purt hearts heart what should we do before partaking of title this sacrament we should look into our souls and see whether we have any there toward any of our lellow creatures especially toward any ot of the household of faith have you any bitterness in your heart toward your brother or your sister or auy any of it you have remove that bitterness rail and repent of the weakness by which that bitterness hag found a resting place within yuu you and remove move rt it from your heart harbor it nut in your spirit for it is evil it corrupts us to allow the spirit of hatred or animosity to find a resting place la in our souls therefore we should not partake of this sao sacrament with such feelings in our souls wu we should tor for give those who trespass against us we should make peace with our eur brother and with our sister and with all mankind and establish peace in our hearts so that when we come to the house of god to partake of the sacrament we may do it with bleau hands bands and pure hearts before the lord in ancient times the saints partook of the sacrament as a matter of feasting and glutted themselves thus changing the ordinance of the house of god they assembled with bitterness in their hearts one toward another and partook of the sacrament without remembering I 1 the true object of their doings doing a the result was as an paul told them many did it to their condemnation and brought upon themselves sick sickness ness and in some cases death now I 1 do not desire to pander to any kind ot of superstitious feeling we are not a superstitious people above all the people on the earth we ought to be the most free from superstition sti asi tion I 1 do not reter to the words of paul with the expectation of awakening in the minds of any a feeling of superstition in relation to this matter all I 1 desire is that we should understand the truth as it is if god has baa instituted this and has ban commanded us to do it in remembrance of imthun Him H then there is in an object in it that is of im pott noe to the t be children of men and god will not hold bold intelligent men and women guiltless who will trifle with even a matter that appears so fl cant as this we wb should be oare ul about this and this same care should follow us throughout all our doings doing in the church way is this important it is that we may be instrumental in bringing to pass his purposes he gave special commandments through moses mosea ip the chi children luren of israelian Isra elin order that he might raise up a peculiar a chosen people upon whom he might name his hia name and who auld obey his statutes and carry out his elio lawa upon the earth that righteousness might spread abroad in place of the and the abominations that existed among the idolatrous nations that Pur surrounded rounded them the same purpose exists today and the lord has sought to gather us together that he abt name his name upon us ue and that we might become a chosen people a royal priesthood a peculiar peculiar only lu in that we keen keel the commandments mand ments of god and work righteousness upon U don the earth if we tall fail of this we fill fail of the object that god has haa in view for us to accomplish therefore it is necessary that we should pay attention to these matters and instead of going so eo far away away from that which Is called pious in the world we should approach that happy medium of conduct that will meet with the he approbation of all honor able people that will not give 0 offense tu to those who are nat well grounded in the truth and that will not be extreme in either direction there is nothing in the religion that christ has restored to the earth in this dispensation that requires any soul to go about with a sorrowful countenance and a downcast mien there is nothing in it that will prevent us from enjoying every blessing and privilege that it is our right to enjoy in the earth there is nothing in it to make us or unhappy but to the contrary there to is everything in it calculated to make us cheerful in our hearts and joyful and peaceful in our souls but above all things it is necessary that we should be forgiving and charitable one towards another and in 10 these peculiar times when men are brought into straitened circumstances and when but a breath perhaps would woula blast the financial standing ot of some of our neighbors it is particularly necessary that we should exercise a feeling of love of charity anti and of forgiveness gi veness one towards another we should not indulge in a spirit of revenue but on the contrary we should be lenient merciful and kind not only with t those hose who are poor but with those who have means and are cramped financially it is really necessary I 1 think for the latter day saints saint who are holding obligations against their brethren to be exceedingly charitable and patient towards them a i id not dot exact that which is impossible from them but wait and they will pay you all they owe and good will be maintained among the people but it if we go to crowding aud and to oppressing one another I 1 am very much duch afraid that the whole people would be oppressed by such action lot let us reflect a little upon the present condition of things and what whai has brought it about I 1 would like to ask my brethren and sisters if they knew the causes which have produced the present straightened financial condition among this people and throughout the united states some have attributed it to the legislation of congress against silver some to the uncertainty in the winds minds of the people in relation to what action the present administration would tre in regard to the tariff laws of the country in fact it la 18 attributed to many things I 1 was con i with a gentleman but a few days ago concerning this subject and I 1 asked him what to in ble bis opinion had contributed most moat to this present condition throughout the land well he went on to enumerate what he thought to he be the causes of this state of things I 1 suggested to him if extravagance of living had not a great deal to do with it and he acknowledge i that he be believed it was the greatest of all ane auses leading to the present candi condition tion now I 1 believe 0 sincerely that one of the principal causes of the that exists omo g us and I 1 believe the thing will apply almost universally ver sally throughout the land is that people have g giac ne beyond their means rhey have borrowed largely mortgaged their homes their faran barme anol and neatly nearly everything they possess poa sesa to keep pace with their neighbors competing one with another in putting on appear i ances and in carrying on their business on the credit basis that to is so much in vogue in the world president raylor told the people during his preside oy cy over the church when times were prosperous money easy and there was an abundance i i circulation cu lation that then was the time for them to pay off their debts and get got themselves free from obligations and when they had bad once freed themselves irom from debt live thereafter within their means this was one of the themes theme that wis was dwelt upon very largely by president taylor tayler of course he did not originate it for it was also a theme ot of president brigham Youn gla president young was one of those men who constantly hold held out to the people economy in living and home industries by which they could be sell bell sustaining and independent and provide employment for the people that there might be noue amongst duera idle let me ask you my brethren and sisters eia tere it we had more carefully carried out this counsel do you not think thin k we would today be iu in a much butter better condition than we are I 1 thick we would now weare we are being taught a lesson lesion many of us that have borrowed means beaus to buy stoc its to buy farming implements to build fine bouses to buy horses and carriages car nages that we might put on an aa ap appearance marance at least equal to that of our neighbor if we had not done so but had lived within our means meada and in addition had laid a little aside for a raf rainy ay day toda today we would be the most independent independent people upon this continent I 1 do not know but bul we areas are as it is but notwithstanding this may be so it is only too true that too many of your homes mad and your farms are mortgaged fur implements and buildings and for living so bo tar far as I 1 am concerned I 1 would like to see this em of credit abolished and that whenever we buy a dollars worth of goods we |