Show sunday dec 18 llam 11 a m coign congregation gation was called to order by coun counsellor I lor L J harrick tho the c choir coir sang gang the hymn great god attend while zion sings prayer b by elder lorin farr singing of god the eternal father the first speaker was APOSTLE JOHN HENRY he ile had of late been on the outskirts of the territory the stakes more north and south where lie had been devoting his time among the people deriving a great deal of pleasure and en enjoyment cyment in discharging his duty T the ae past year the speaker had bad made th alie e tour of the territory cry some four or five times in iff these as association a and labors with the people ho lie found thal that the ibe latter later day saints as all a whole arc a very good people the majority of them striving to live their religion to conquer themselves and bring themselves into subjection to the will vill of the lord there are some however whose lives are unquestionably of a character not approved by good men or r our ur father in heaven but if there were none that were bad none that were moderately faithful none that were keeping their covenants there would bo be litile chance for comparison A contrast is necessary to enable men and women to choose for themselves between what brings blessings blessin in gs and nd that which entails curses T there her are none of us who cannot still improve our lives and secure to themselves more fully the approval of the lord the gospel of the lord jesus is u the perfect law of liberty by which wo we can obtain a crown of glory there arc are however growing up many young people eople who have not drank as deeply deeply of the fountain of life as have their parents much has been neglected in their spiritual train training inc ap while they have been cn en bitted in the performance of the i temporal labors labom we ive have neglect fd to educate them at the fireside and explain them the testimonies of the truth we have received the ave of the gospel which lias has caused us to leave kindred and country and gather ather with the latter day saints kr our children have grown up to a deg degree r ee unlearned in the principles of t the h e G gospel aspel ospel uneducated in the truths of revelation the spiritual education ed eat of the child has been m U tab un a 11 n ham many fathers and mothers rot liers are there who call their children around them to teach the glorious truths of the gospel of christ they the are altogether too rare we are given too much to thoughtlessness light expressions and what does not benefit us epi ritually truths ought to be made palatable I attractive and pleasant for our sons and daughters to receive so that these principles principles are fastened d upon the tablets of the hearts odthe of the young tile the scenes of childhood the impi impressions es received in infancy around the parental fireside are stamped indelibly upon the mind never to be obliterated as long as intelligence remains with us the speaker exemplified this fact of the powerful yo youthful tan ua mind he would have his s children growing up honest li onest pure industrious reverencing referencing reveren cing everything noble it is a noticeable fact that the man among the latter day saints who is guilty of an any one of the grosser crimes crimea ceases in in his growth in the gospel growing w in g slack t and lukewarm tle therefore c fre alie necessity of training our children early and implanting ethem a lovland reverence for everything that will ennoble and exalt them this is a it sacred babora labor a great mission for fathers and mothers the fruits of it t will be joy and satish satisfaction action C children hi adren cannot be taught too early carly to pray and thank god for all the blessing they receive acknowledging his ilis hand lid and love ic none of us who have covenanted with him should neglect to do this and lead the young hearts to aspire to the same path of salvation as their fathers and mothers mot liers every one of the children committed to us should be instructed in the principles of revelation in time so that they understand der stand tho the duties and responsibilities ot life better far that we nye neglect the temporal interests of our children than their s spiritual pirl ua welfare if we fail to teach them to pray to love and recognize the lord they will grow up tip w without I out faith turn infidels lacking ingery inre v cry ry clement element which we would desir r t tj ein to possess they will be addicted to evil habits their lives will be lives of infamy and our hearts with sorrow this is tho the greatest mission mission on earth t to guide our offspring in tho the paths of life everlasting so that our sons will become honest and honored men our daught daughters krs respected and virtuous women with earnest words the speaker pleaded with the saints to attend to this important duty we inte can also extend this mission to those not of our own fireside warning our neighbors when they are doing evil pointing out to them the disastrous consequences of the wicked habits habitz and contrasting them with the blessings honors and exaltation exultation a at tending the one who follows the ri right patch it may not a always ways be a successful eff effort fort but still there is a potency for good in it it is a sacred duty dut upon the holy priest hood capable aa leof of doing a vast avast amount of good and stemming the tide of corruption in many of which the speaker gave touching instances showing liow how it can bo be done successfully vidith if with and prudence if we will perform our duty as servants of god not one in in one hundred of our sons and daughters will go astray we lve should point out the evila evils in their r path and warning them of that which tends to cuir their corruption and destruction the speaker closed with exhorting in the parents not to their c children bil dren to the k keeping cc ph g an and d t teaching cae h of men and women not of our faith which as he emphasized was attempted by christian missionaries ministers and teachers who arc are scheming in all ways to instill in our childrens minds a hatred of the gospel and a detestation of us their parents true latter da lay saints will faithfully resist and avoid all such insidious approaches and snares on the part of malignant adversaries of oue our faith no as man of this kind will ever bo be allowed to teach any of the speakers children and he lie appe appealed alef ta the saints to leave them alone not interfering ter fering ferin with them but guarding guardin our children ildren hf from their il illiberal liber 11 teachings ELDEK ELDER JAMIS 11 II HART was the next speaker lie ile baden had enjoyed the discourse of apostle smith as lie had often enjoyed those of his fathers lie ile endorsed the wise advice given by elder smith with regard to tb the parents duties of educating their children in the gospel allt it was 22 years since elder hart had spoken from the same stand and ho he felt to rejoice in the blessings of the everlasting gospel and the hope that liea lies before us lie ile then referred to the lie time 24 years ago when in consequence of persecution the saints were compelled to leave their homes in the north and remove to the south not knowing where their destination would be those little circumstances cost some men mel I and women their faith but the truo true latter day saint can discern of tho the in fia the tile scenes through which the people of israel have passed lie ile lately was inter eteri in anji a wn lue church who has bas been outside fo 15 16 years wherein lie said that no honest man or woman leaving the mormon faith CO could uld C ever v C r a adhere ah e r to any other cli church F for or mormonism is far ahead of all other religions embracing all elements and principles of truth the priesthood has descended to us from the mighty god of jacob who lias has undertaken in this age to establish his ilis own kingdom the speaker then showed that this is the fullness of the dispensation of times it is on the principle pla of liberty that god commer commences wes to gather his ilis people a and d accomplish all things spoken of t by y the c holy Prop prophets lieLs ja we ca an safely trust our pause aasc in tai the N hands of that god who has created us and given us the inheritance we possess and who o has as promised to fight all our battles it is not the mouth of big cannons cana ons nor carnal weapons we a oils but the hand of ul the almighty which will defend israel from oil enemies that wo we may pursue g the great mission assigned to us we inte have no use for methodism nor for nor presbyterianism nor or an any other ism for we know all about those lifeless powerless ellms machinations of man oth the speaker then referred to his labors in new york in connection with the tile immigration of the saints he ile had bad enjoyed his labors and was happy to bear ili his testimony he ile would sooner trust in the god of israel than in all the armies of the world and woe unto those who raise their voices or their puny arms firms against the people of god elder I hart ga r t closed with the prayer that the saints might all live pure and holy lives in honor to the tle name of the tile lord an anthem by the choir and benediction edic tion byeller by Elder joseph stanford brought the meeting to a close |