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Show I CHURCHMEN MEET IN CONFERENCE THOUSANDS LISTEN TO WORDS OF ADVICE ANDCOMMENDATION FROM CHURCH LEADERS. Gratifying Attendance at Semi-Annual Conference of Church of Jesus ChrUt of Latter-day Saints and Much Interest Shown by Member. flli Lake City. 11(111 weuther Uj have kep number of people from attending the eighty-sixth semiannual semi-annual confercnee of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, held here October 6, 7 and 8, but the attendance at-tendance waa most stratifying and the conference MM of the most successful In every way In the history of the church. Kully 8.000 members of the church flocked Into the Tabernacle to hear the keynote address delivered by President Joseph F. Smith. 1'leus by Pnsideni 8mtth for great r activity in the work of the church, tooth on the part of stake and ward officers and among the members of the church, and exhortations to Mormons In general to be guided by a spirit of brotherly love and settle differences that members sometimes take before church and clll courts were the fea-lurs fea-lurs of the o, cning session. With but two exceptions the general gener-al authorities of the church were present for the conference. Oeorge V IticlianK one of the twelve apost'.i s cf the church, who Is In Liverpool presiding over the vast ICuropean mls-mlsslon. mls-mlsslon. and Levi Kdgar Young, one of the first seven presidents of seventies, who was unavoidably detained elsewhere, else-where, were the only two absentees. Prcaident Smith delivered the opening open-ing address, and Authon II. Lund, first counsellor, was the only other speaker speak-er at the morning session. Practically what as to numbers, if possible, heard what as to numbers. If poolble, heard ( harles W. Penrose, counsellor of the first presidency; Francis II, Lyman, president of the twelve apostles, and Apostle Heber J. flrant speak at the afternoon session. President Smith exhorted his audience audi-ence to greater interest in the activities activi-ties of the church, and spoke regretfully regret-fully of the tendency ot many of the members of the faith, and he referred particularly to the bishopric, to step down and pass their duties along to others. He chided the bishops for what he likened to carelessness In falling fall-ing to gain a bettor knowledge of the personalities of their charges, and declared de-clared that members of the church should strive to settle whatever differences dif-ferences that might arise between them without recourse to either church or civil courts. President Lund's talk urged a great er and more regular attendance at sacramental meetings. He warned his hearers of the dangers of spiritual starvation, and he dwelt upon the ad vlsabllity of encouraging singing as part of the religious services Inasmuch as the more attractive the service is made the greater will be the attendance. attend-ance. Joseph Smith, founder of Mormonism. Mormon-ism. and the relationship which he and the present head of the church bear o the Divinity furnished the theme of the principal address at the afternoon session delivered by Charles V. Penrose, Pen-rose, second counsellor of the first presidency of the churcli. President Penrose emphasized his conviction that Joseph Smith was a prophet of the living Cod, adding that in hi:i belief be-lief he was one of the "mighty" referred re-ferred to in Holy Scriptures as reserved reserv-ed to come on earth In this last dispensation dis-pensation to revive religious principles princi-ples that had been lost for ages. Active and Inactive mcmtiership furnished the theme for Mr. Lyman's italk. He said that although only a small percentage of the membership of the Mormon faith was present at the conference, he hoped that all who were h attendance were active members. mem-bers. The whole membership could not be present, ho said, but the words Utered at the church's conference would bo carried to every branch of the church and he expressed a hope that lliey would have the effect of slopping the D6CCSSlty Of reports from bUJiops to general church officers calling call-ing attention to the number of inactive inac-tive members. "Inactivity tends to larkntSB," he said. "Activity to light." He drew attention to the tact that very body Is industrious in temporal mailers and decried th fact that they were not as industrious in insuring the success of the religious side Ol their natures Hobcr J. Orant, member of the twelve gpostlea, delivered the conclud lug address. He, too, decried the IfctUttnC) If) sidestep religious duties. The tendency of the American people peo-ple lo live beyond their means and io Indulge in practices that canuol help i - -:--- hut have the effect of making them unwerthy of the blessing of the Hear-enly Hear-enly Father, was the theme of Apostle Heed Smoot at the morning session oi the conference on October 7. President Josepb F. Smith presided over both sessions. Apostle Smoot declared de-clared his belief that In the end the Mormon church will accomplish the work that the Iord designed for It and added that If the teachings of the church were put In fotce throughout the world, the world would be a great deal better place for It. Apostle Clawson spoke briefly in denunciation de-nunciation of moving picture houses and other forms of Sabbath amusements amuse-ments for their tendency to keep the young from religious observance. I lie irresistible growth of Morinon-ism Morinon-ism from a faith having but six followers fol-lowers in 1830 to the church's present day magnitude, together with a prediction predic-tion that the Father's decree that the world should be redeemed by means of the latter-day dispensation as promulgated pro-mulgated through Joseph Smith, formed the nucleus of the opening address ad-dress at the afternoon session. Apostle Apos-tle George Albert Smith, the first speaker, likened the members of the Mormon faith to the leaven which shall some day accomplish the leavening leaven-ing of the world, at the same time calling the attention to the fnct that even among the followers of faiths opposed to Mormonism there is a noticeable no-ticeable tendency to incorporate In the revision of their creeds some of the basic teachings of the Mormon faith. That Mormonism is not a book taught religion and that Instead of being be-ing held down in Its teachings and operation to eon old tenets, it follows the last word of Cod, was the crux of the address delivered by Apostle Orson Or-son . Whitney. Mormonlsiu, he declared, de-clared, is the fulfillment of a prophecy of the coining of a marvelous work and a wonder made 700 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, and he said that the fulfilment of this prophecy in these latter days was such a wonderful tiling that most men rejected it as a fable. Apostle Whitney followed the build ing up of I'tah and the far west through the early days and of the gradual improvement that resulted following fol-lowing the arrival of the Mormons In the oxcarts. He declared that it is Cod's will that man should avail himself him-self of progress and make use of the new things as they were Introduced and not to follow Ideas either in religion re-ligion or life that have become antiquated. anti-quated. Apostle David O. McKay made teaching teach-ing the subject of his address. He decried the fact that many of the members of the priesthood believe that their work is not of much Importance Im-portance and declared that no work in the church could be considered more, or less, important than another. The music, as usual, was one of the enjoyable features of the conference. At the morning session on Sunday, October 8, It was necessary to hold overflow meetings. Present day extravagances, both by individuals and by the governing bodies of cities, states and nation, and the seeming tendency of members of the church to take part in Sunjay amusements and card playing, furnished fur-nished themes of addresses delivered by Apostles Anthony W. lvins, Joseph F. Smith, Jr.. and James K. Talmage. War was another topic touched on by Apostle lvins. "In my travels," he said, "I met men who advocated war. They told me that our national dignity had been Injured and they demanded in return that the guilty be humiliated. The only redress they could see was tlie humiliation of the other fellow. "Mexico is smaller than the Uni'.ed States and it may have looked easy to Austria to enter Serbia, but one never can tell where these things will ead If war comes to this country, I say, let it not be of our making Let us stand for peace an exumple of ki.id-ness ki.id-ness and peacefulness to the world." The modern dance, picture shows, Sunduy amusements and card playing came in for denunciation at the bauds of Apostle Joseph F. Smith, Jr. "Should the Redeemer return to earth," he said, "he would find faith among the people. That Is, a small percentage of the people. He would not find It generally among the nations of the world." Apostle James E. Talmage reviewed the benefits that have been derived by members of the church in attendance upon the conference session by the words of the speakers. Praises had not alone been given, he said, but warnings also. During the afternoon service the general authorities of the church were sustained. President Francis If, I,y man of the quorum of apostles lead the list of authorities, and as the names were called 1:1,000 hands were raised in affirmative approval of the selection made. The general authorities are the MM lb! have held office since the last conference, with the exception of lie appointment of Anthon C. Lund as conductor of the Tabernacle choir in place of Evan Stephens, who was hon orably released at his own request. Several new names were Included in the general boards of auxiliary branch es, but for the mam the incumbent authority -, were reinstated. At the ifternoon session Seymour B. Young. B. H. Robert! and C. W. Nib fey were the speakers. |