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Show I! PLURAL MARRIAGE IS SUBJECT OF PLAIN SPEAKING AT CONFERENCE f LARGER-' TABERNACLE MELD NEED TLhYo vraB some pLitiin speaking on the s c-Cect of plura 1'' marriage at the qujirlerf; conference of Iho North Wcb-tS'sTSlTeyelterda morning when In 'f "presenting the annual report fori 1 1910, President John V. Bluth called attention to the fact that two members r of the stake had been excommunicated I for insubordination to the church laws. I Action had been taken against ihe i couple, President Blulli stated, because be-cause the parlies had contracted a plural marriage. ' "Thero are some members of the; I church," President Blutb said. ' who I hold tho erroneous idea that plural marriages may' be contracted. Some fi members of the church think they may !i read between the lines of the written und spoken statements of the church ; authorities on the subject. My advice i1 is that you be not led away by false I doctrine. Some of the leading men of , tho church havo been excommunicated i for dlsobeyiug the laws cf the church; on. this matter." President Bluth then called attention atten-tion to the statement of the late President Pres-ident Joseph 1 Smith, who stated that "no man had the authority to perform a plural marriage and no persons have tlio authority to contract such marriages mar-riages and that all such marriages: were illegal and void when performed. Annual Report Read Th6 annual report as presented by thfe presidency showed that the popu-I popu-I Jation of the stake had decreased by I 1C2 owing to labor in McGill, which is I a part of the stake. There had been I nn increase in tithes and fast offerings I' nnd a slight Increase in attendance at I Sacrament meetings. Ward teachers S had increased in efficiency, but not in the per cent of families visited each month. Forty-six missionaries from , tlio staka were laboring in the mis- sion during the past year. : : - In commenting upon the activities pi the prieshood.and calling attention to the inactivity of some of the niem-; niem-; hers, President Bluth said, "We are determined, however, to increase the i activity and efficiency this year. Our I hgh council are working on plan of I supervision outlined for them, which, I we hope, will stir up new life, remove t dead, timber, and make the necessary j .clearance for renewed and vigorous I growth, and wo pray that wo bo not disappointed in the results of that I I work." I Tabernacle Crowded I Although wintry weather prevailed I xind a snowstorm was raging tho great- cr part ol the day, the conference was attended by congregations that filled the tabernacle to capacity at both sessions. ses-sions. President James Wotherspoou, who presided suggested that tho mem-Lbers mem-Lbers give heed, to the conditions exist-j exist-j ing in the stake as revealed in the annual an-nual report and reminded them that the work could not be successfully accomplished ac-complished without unity of effort. An appeal was made for contributions contribu-tions to the Mormon Battalion Monu-jmcnt Monu-jmcnt fund by President Wctherspocn who staged that Utah would go back i several steps in iho estimation of the world, if wq fulled to contribute to the erection of the monument. Support for tho Weber college gymnasium gym-nasium was 'also urged by President Wotherspoon, who answered all objections ob-jections by stating that hj favored growth and development and advancing advanc-ing with the times In which wc live. Boy Scouts Endorsed President Wotherspoon also stated that the Boy Scout movement was endorsed en-dorsed by the stake because it made boys become bright und useful- men and taught.' the boys that America is tho greatest country on earth. He said some object to the Boy ScuUc movement, because it was raising boys, to become soldiers. Even if this were true, he said, it was better for the country to be defended by soldiers who were prepared than by soldiers who were unprepared to meet the enemy. Inspiring musical programs were rendered by, the tabernacle choir at I both sessions of the conference with i William S. Wright, Mrs. Myrtle Hig-ley, Hig-ley, Mildred Ware and Mrs. Bernice Tyreo as soloists. Bishop David A. Smith gave nigh praise to the choir for the excellent wozk and expressed a hopo that the choir might be heard in Salt Lake at an early late. Tabernacle Too Small . Apostle Itudger Clawson and Bishop David A. Smith of the presiding bishopric bish-opric were present at the conference and delivered addresses at both sessions. ses-sions. Apostle Clawson made a statement state-ment regarding the necessity of a larg-' er tabernacle for Ogden that has been interpreted as meaning that at last the general church authorities are giving giv-ing some serious attention to the need of a larger auditorium for the use of the three local slakes. The high church official said the present building build-ing was much too small, that a larger building was necessary but could not bo provided at the present time, owing to the high cost of material and labor. Apostle Clawson congratulated the staKe upon its excellent system of ward teaching and commented upon the lesson appearing in the teachers' manual dealing with the subject of "Invest "In-vest in the Lord's securities." After calling attention to the manner in which men invest in mining and commercial com-mercial enterprises the speaker reminded re-minded his hearers that the Lord had promised that this should bo a land of ZIon unto the people who were faithful in the payment of their tithes. Tho Lord is faithful In all His promises prom-ises and thiB is one of His securities that will never fall, he said. Subject of Prayer Tho subject of prayer was also discussed dis-cussed by Apostle Clawson who strongly advised against long pravers in meetings and in the family circle, suggesting that long prayers were all right in secret, but Were out of place in public. He advised the members to j cultivate the spirit of prayer as a guard against temptation. Bishop Smith, In referring to the report re-port stated that figures were valuable only insofar as they show a true condition con-dition and an effort is made to improve im-prove upon the conditions shown. He aald If all the members of the stake were working as earnesl.lv as were , ihe stake presidency and high council a greater work could be accomplished In ihe stake. In referring to the fact that members of the priesthood were careless and indifferent and thus were; hampering I he -work, Bishop Smith congratulated the boys in the stake who were giving close attention to their duties in their respective quorums. quor-ums. Bishop Smith( also advised the people to be more honest and liberal in Uie matter of paying fast offerings for the support of the poor, oo . |
