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Show WEBB STAKE M PBICII fiS TO , El OF 110 The quarterly conference of Weber stake was held yesterday In the Og-! den tabornacle, with sessions commencing com-mencing at 10 a. m. and 2 p. m. Apostle Apos-tle David O. McKay and Rulon S. Wells were the principal speakers and delivered sermons which were keenly appreciated by the large audience. At the morning meeting there were approximately ap-proximately 1000 people and approxM-mtaely approxM-mtaely 1200 at the afternoon meeting. The musical program was one of the finest presented in the tabernacle. The choir now has command of several sev-eral oratorios and with special ' solo music and organ solos the program was one of rare merit. Mrs. Cora Thome Bird of Springville was the principal soloist. Her splendid voice has been heard before in Ogden and never fails to draw appreciative comment. com-ment. Mrs Bird sang, "Fear Not, O Ye Israel' (Dudley Buck) at the morning morn-ing meeting, and "Hear Ye. Israel" (Mendelssohn) at the afternoon meeting. meet-ing. Sam Whitaker played "Darkness and Light" (Harker) as a prelude at the morning session and "Postlude in C" (Vincent) at the close of the mept-ing. mept-ing. In the afternoon ho played "Berceuse" "Ber-ceuse" (Kinder) as a prelude and Miss Frieda Leesman played Marche in C (Reade) as a postlude. The vocal soloists were Miss Mildred Mil-dred Ware, Mrs. Agnes Warner, Walter Wal-ter Stephens, Leslie Saville and William Wil-liam S. Wright. The morning program was from "The Star of Bethlehem," the parts being rendered as follows: "Prophecy of the Coming," Walter Stephens and choir; "The Annunciation," Annuncia-tion," Mildred Ware, Agnes Warner, Mt. Stephens and choir; "Herod and the Magi," Miss Ware, Mr3. Warner, Mr. Stephens, double male quartet and choir; "Glory to 'God in the Highest," High-est," choir. The afternoon program was: "Excerpts from 'Lazarus,'" (Edwards), (Ed-wards), Miss Ware, Mr. Stephens and choir; "Widow Scene" from "Elijah" (Mendelssohn), Miss Ware, Mrs. Warner, War-ner, Leslie Saville and choir; "Excerpts "Ex-cerpts from 'Elijah'." (Mendelssohn), Miss Ware, Mr. Saville and choir; "Father, Forgive Them," from "Seven Last Words," William S. Wright and choir. Pres. Watson Presides. President John Watson presided at the meeting in the absence of President Presi-dent Lewis W. Shurtliff, who Is in California for his health. An address of welcome was made by President Alva Scoville and the quarterly report of th.e stake was read, showing several sev-eral changes made in its organization during that time. Elder William H. Reeder, Jr., spoke next and gave an exposition of the war savings thrift stamp. He told of the plan of saving and its benefit to the government and urged his hearers to respond heartily to this aid. Heber Scowcroft read a telegram from President Shurtliff in California, expressing his hope that the people of the stake would enjoy the conference. Mr. Scowcroft then secured the approval ap-proval of the congregation by a standing stand-ing vote to send an answer to the telegram, tele-gram, expressing the best wishes of the stake. Ho also spoke on the life, of the late Bishop Robert McQuarrlo. Apostle David O. McKay spoke next and used as the theme of his sermon, ser-mon, "The New and Everlasting Covenant, Cove-nant, the Gospel of Christ." Apo3tle McKay Speaks. "There Is much speculation," ho said, "among the people with regard to the meaning of the 'New and Evor- lasting Covenant.' Any man who marries mar-ries a wife by virtue of the priesthood enters Into an everlasting covenant, as does any man who goes through the temple and is sealed by the same power to his wife and children for time and eternity. But the 'New and Everlasting Covenant' as defined by modern revelation Is broader, deeper and grander than these. It Is the gospel of Jesus Christ, 'sent into the world to be a light unto the world and a standard for my people' and for the gentiles to also seek.' "Mormonism," he said, "Is the science of "living Obedience to its covenants should be considered by all who accept them, as a debt of honor, first of all debts to be paid. For, we are told, this gospel restored to the earth In this day and age of the world Is the everlasting covenant wiat gives light and when men are bound In It, they are 'counted as the salt of the earth.' There never was a time in the history of the world when there has been such a longing in the hearts of men for somothing real, something tangible concerning the future life and to satisfy this longing Is the mission mis-sion of the elders of the church." Apostle McKay commended 'the stake for Its increased activities during dur-ing the last quarter of the year 1917 and urged the workers to continue their efforts for good. "Be sincere," he said, "prayerful, consistent, treat your neighbor as you would be treated; treat-ed; be pure In your lives, honest in the payment of tithes, be true to the men who are serving you in the high positions to which they have been called and do your duty, whatevor it may be. These are only little things, but life is made up of them. May the day bo hastened when the great war will bo ended and out of it will come the souls that are to bring the tidings of great joy mat world peace Is established." estab-lished." Tho benediction was pronounced by Bishop James W. Ure. Afternoon Meeting. The afternoon meeting was opened with invocation by Mayor T. Samuel Browning. The general and stake authorities were presented by State Clerk Evart Neuteboom and sustained. President John Watson next made a few remarks, at the request of Apostle Apos-tle McKay. President Rulon S. Wells was Introduced In-troduced as the next speaker and he gave a very sincere expression of appreciation ap-preciation of tho music furnished by the choir and soloists. Ho spoke of the present turmoil in tho world as the fulfillment of prophoclos concerning concern-ing tho conditions that were to precede pre-cede tho end of tho world. "This universal war," ho said, "is the opening of tho new era, but the end of the world will not come with its conclusion. For tho prophets haVo said that in tho last days nationls shall rise against nations and kingdoms king-doms against kingdoms, and the Gos-pol Gos-pol of the Kingdom shall bo preached in all the world and thon shall the end come. It is a pity that such calamities must come to the people of the world bofore they are In a proper mood to receive the gospel. God did not bring the world war, but He foresaw that It would come through the sins of men and' now the whole world liclh in sin," Army Morality, He spoke of the superior standard of morality of the American army and said that tho American soldiers would carry tho gospel to Europe. "Wo should be proud," he said, "to be citizens citi-zens of the United Stntes, wherein tho great moral reform is to have Its inception. in-ception. Let us, therefore, lay off overy evil habit, be truo to our covenants cove-nants nnd ready to do our part in tho great work of the future." Apoetle'G Address. "The dqmnnd of the hour is loyalty," Apostle McKay said, at tho opening of his second address, "and we must respond re-spond to overy call mado upon us by tho government for aid In winning the war. These are times when we must stand behind those who are In authority and who are to carry this old 'ship of Btnto' into a harbor of jiea'ce. The principle that must guide us all Is the principle of loyalty. "This trait to a nation means much, for it Includes the principle of unity and that makes for strength. The tiny strands of wire that form the cable on which the Brooklyn bridge la suspended, singly, could be broken with little effort, but bound together as they are, their strength suffices to uphold one of the largest suspension abridge sin the world. So does the principle of unity, applied to individuals, indi-viduals, give strength unlimited. It Is a trait most admirable and we as a people must exercise it now In standing stand-ing by the man- who stands at the head of our nation. He is loyal to American Ideals and I commend him for It." Apostle McKay related an incident from "Over the Top," tho story of tho trenches of Franco, written by the Ogden Og-den boy, Arthur Guy Empey, to which the opposite trait, disloyalty, was applied. ap-plied. The principal figure In tho Incident In-cident was a slacker, who evaded military mili-tary duty as long as possible and, when finally forced by conscription Into tho army, deserted In the heat of a trench fight. A realization of the act came to him when he was taken before a tribunal and sentenced to be shot. He then bogged to be given the privilege of going "over tho top" and dying like a man.' Fate gave him tho opportunity, oppor-tunity, when a shell from a boche cannon killed his guard and tore open the guardhouse, allowing him to escapo. He returned to his former post and was killed while manning a machine gun. "And so," tho apostle said, "his prayer was answered. The spirit of loyalty came td him at last and ho died as a hero, Instead of a traitor. This is tho kind of loyalty that must now be manifested by the American people." |