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Show PLEA FOR BROADER i n c ... ;t . ' , u ,f V . ... ' FORGIVENESS 18 KEYNOTE OF NINETY-FIRST SEMI-ANNUAL SESSION OF CHURCH. - y., ; ... " Payment of Tithing One of the Essentials Essen-tials to Right Living on Part of Every Member, Declares President Grant. ..... ; , ., " t. ' i -: ' Salt Lake City. A plea for a broader and deeper charity, disposition disposi-tion to forgive, : an admonition to "judge not that ye be not judged," to keep the commandments of God, pay very dollar of honest tithing owed and to observe strictly the wprd of wisdom, formed the chief features of the address of President Heber J. Grant at the tabernacle in opening the ninety-first semi-annual conference of the L, D. S. church on October 8. " All through the remarks of the official of-ficial head of the church ran his strong disapproval of carrying person ' al or selfish interests and aims into religious work. . , ' - I i President Grant made reference to the league of nations issue, saying that at a former conference he had xpressed his regret that it should be made a political or party issue. He still regretted that the league had been made a political Issue, holding that this was one of the ' questions that should be settled outside party politics. Payment of tithing is one of the essentials es-sentials to right living on the part of every member of. his church, the speaker said. He said that as such the' Latter-day Saints ' are strong financially, but maintained that the man who failed to pay his tithing was robbing himself most of all. Gratitude for the enactment of national na-tional prohibition was strongly voiced and the hope expressed that the time would soon come when all the countries coun-tries of the old world would also be "dry." rTr . President Grant also expressed his pleasure that the women of America had been, granted the franchise, but made no attempt to discuss any of the phases of the woman suffrage question. ques-tion. . .. .. - ; . -. Anthon H. Lund, first counselor to President Grant, who made the second sec-ond address of the morning, expressed i the hope that the wise counsel given b.'the church ' leader 'ould find,' an' abiding place In the hearts of all present. pres-ent. He drew upon sacred history for , illustrations to Impress ,the necessity ( of dealing with men in a spirit' of love, oltiiiff tha account of the exnerl- ' .; ''. 1 V'1-' 1 ' ; At the .Saturday morning session of the (Conference, service, sympathy, and ultimate justice in the sense of retribution retri-bution were the dominant notes of the hree adduesseS; deltvpfed. JTh speate ers vere ApWies George F. ftichardsf, David O. Mcpay . . and Anthony EW. Ivins, and the keynotes of their talks were the; themfcs mentioned Apostle Richards emphasized "service," Apostle Apos-tle Mckay '"sympathy" and' Apostle Ivins "ultimate Justice." At the afternoon session the themea discussed embraced the observance ol the Ten Commandments and "brotherly, "brother-ly, love" by Apostle Joseph, Fielding Smith; the definition Vf the- dhurch's duty toward sinners by Apostle James E. Talmage, and the -duty of the church toward Its own people and toward to-ward nonchurch members by Apostle Stephen L. Richards. Each of the speakers took occasion to say that It was under the Inspiration Inspira-tion of the wise counsel given by President Heber J. Grant In his keynote key-note address of .Friday morning that they were led to impress upon the people, peo-ple, through elaboration and Illustration, Illustra-tion, the thoughts . that were embodied, in the leader's speech. " ' ' - - Saturday night the Tabernacle choir gave a concert as'a tribute to the long and faithful service of Prof. J. J. McClellan," chief organist, who has just .-completed twenty years of service in that capacity. Twp magnificent mag-nificent bouquets of choice cut flowers flow-ers and a beautiful gold watch, suitably suit-ably engraved, were tributes In token of the esteem and affection In which the organist is held. One of the features of the morning session on Sunday was the address of Apostle Melvln J. Ballard, who' set out his exposition of the view that the Latter-day Saints were the chosen seed of Israel, set apart and designated designat-ed by God in a previous existence for exaltation arid glory here, who were to enjoy the reward for their faithfulness faith-fulness and loyalty in the "latter day when the wicked Gentiles and all oth-' ers who rejected the true gospel are to be condemned and punished." - Taking for his text: ; "By their : fruits ye shall know them,'; Apostle Lyman pointed out that it was more than 100 years ago since the prophet Joseph Smith' received his first vision, more than ninety years ago since the ouirch was organized, and more than eighty-eight J'ears ago siilce the "Word of Wisdom!' was glvetf to the saints through revelation. He affirmed that this period of time should be long enough to give demonstration that, the gospel of the Latter-day Saints is true. .'.. , tj J Hyrum G. Smith, ' presiding1 patriarch patri-arch of the church, was the first speaker of the afternoon. He confined con-fined his remarks largely to a discussion discus-sion of the need that the saints support sup-port and encourage each other in the doing of good, and a prayer for bless- ences of ,Iavid and Saul. Amplifying the subject of. forgiveness, he spoke of the history of Christ, who, when hanging upon the cross, prayed for forgiveness of his ; persecutors, because be-cause they ( knew not what they were doing. .,' i Charles W. Penrose, ,cond counselor coun-selor to President Grant, after stating that the address of the leader contained con-tained the veritable words of eternal life, extended the scope of Illustrations Illustra-tions on the subject of having charity In dealing with men. . He rlso dwelt at some length Upon the necessity of honest tithe paying. "The church is so big now," he declared, "that It can do without me or you or anybody else ; It Is a question of our own good to be honest with God, ourselves and the church." At the afternoon session Apostle Rudger Clawson dwelt largely upon three subjects, profanity, tobacco and debt. Concerning the first he referred to the ten commandments and their injunction against the taking in vain of the Lord's name. He spoke In most emphatic terms concerning the interdiction inter-diction of the church against the use of tobacco and counseled earnestly that Its use in any form be prevented. Concerning debts, Apostle Clawson said that the bondage of such obligations obliga-tions is worse than prison. ,, ., , :r United States Senator Reed Smoot of the counsel of twelve dwelt in his address principally upon the importance impor-tance of the right sort of home life In the community, concluding his ; remarks re-marks with a eulogy of the work of the missionaries at home and abroad, and spoke especially of the desirability desirabil-ity of bringing into the church those living in Zlon. ' 1 Orson F. Whitney ' declared ' that "this gospel called Mormonlsm is not a product of the nineteenth century. It Is the everlasting gospel, the ' same yesterday, today and tomorrow. There never was but one gospel. There has been a series of dispensations, and these must be brought together so that perfection may reign when the Lord returns. The welding link must bind In order that unity may prevail, which is the work of preparation for the coming of the Lord." mgs upon all his people. - Presiding Bishop Charles W. .Nibley took occasion to reply to criticisms of those within the church, who objected to the church being In business. He said: "Business Is a part of the church business. It Is one of the purposes pur-poses for which It Is established. . It is in business so that It can help in the work of developing and building ;up cities and towns and communities; the church Is one of the means to this end and that is one of the reasons for its power and influence." James N. Lambert, former president of fhe New Zealand mission, who has recently returned from four years of labor among the Maoris, told of the avidity with which the natives of New Zealand were accepting the gospel and the establishment of their racinl connection con-nection with the Kanakas of the Hawaiian Islands. Dr. Seymour B. Young, senior president pres-ident of the first seven presidents of the seventies, recalled some of the Incidents In-cidents in the early history of the church, with special reference to what he designated the massacre at Haun's mill, September 28, 1838. , He testified that after seventy years of experience in the active work of the Mormon church he saw more clearly than ever before the truth of Its principles. : ( B. H. Roberts of the council of seventies, sev-enties, expressed his feeling of Inability Inabil-ity to voice, in his own language, the thoughts inspired by the successful, conference. He believed that the written writ-ten scripture would better carry the largeness of the appeal. i ; M Brotherly love was the theme of an address by Rulon S. Wells of the council coun-cil of the seventies. , His thoughts were supported by quotations from the Bible, his argument being closed with a strong admonition against bearing false witness. ' With the unanimous and prompt BButaining of each and every one of its general authorities and prayer by President Heber J. Grant for the bless ings of God upon the , Latter-day Saints, the ninety-first semiannual, conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ,. Saints ; was' brought to a close at 4 :30 o'clock Sunday Sun-day afternoon. i i , One of the chief subjects under discussion dis-cussion during the conference was stake leadership work, which was conducted con-ducted under the church social advisory ad-visory board. The work comes under three heads, social and recreational leadership, charities and relief work and teachers' training. c Church school workers and prlncl-1 pals held the first session of their convention Wednesday morning. Reports Re-ports by a , number of prominent church school men who have been attending at-tending summer school sessions was a feature of the meeting. All of the general authorities of the church, with one exception, were in attendance. at-tendance. Apostle George Albert Smith, president of the European mission, mis-sion, was In London and unable to be present. Much of the preliminary work attendant at-tendant upon auxiliary organizations was attended to before i.the- opening session. Presidents of the various missions of the church held a meeting In the temple on Wednesday and with a majority of the ' quorum of te twelve discussed progress made since tk last general conference, . |
