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couraged to go out into the settlements. Our settlements here are not like the rural districts in Europe. Nearly all of our settlements have the advantages of cities-good schools, good societies, and the advantages that are found in cities in the old world are to a certain extent to be found in most of our larger settlements. Our brethren and sisters who come from the cities, need not stay here in Salt Lake City to enjoy the same advantages they did before they came.but they can go out into the larger settlements, and it will not be hard for those who are not too old to accustom themselves to labor on the farms. Many who have been brought up to a certain kind of employment in factories, or different handicrafts, may not be able to get the same kind of employment here, but many of them can go out and take hold of the work that is to be found in our settlements, and it will not take them long to establish themselves and get homes of their own. They will feel happier in doing so, and though farming is often connected with hard work, the labor has been lightened of late years to a great degree. Our farmers by getting machinery, can do much of their work sitting, and the hard work that our brethren tell us they did in early days is not required today. I speak thus to encourage our brethren and sisters, who have come to these larger cities and cannot get employment, to go out into the more distant settlements. I believe there are about as good openings now as there ever were. There are many places where people can take up lands yet, or can get land cheaply and have a chance to work for the land they get. It is true they cannot take up large tracts of land as the earlier settlers might have done if they had so desired, but they did not do that.

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was to make small farms, and we have seen the wisdom of this. The brethren who will go out now need not fear that they will starve and will be in want of anything. Our brethren and sisters out in the country feel to help those who come into their m dst. The Industrial Bureau, which was established, I hope will be an institution that can do much good for our poor. Those who have means ought to study

how to use their means to give employment, that there should not be any idle hands in Zion. The hoarding up of means, trying to get riches for riches' sake, will not make a man happy. We had a text read here this morning by Brother Clawson, which I think is an excellent one. The prophet advises us before seeking riches, that we should seek the kingdom of God, and after we have done that, then he promises that we shall get riches, if we will seek them for the sole purpose of doing good. I believe the Lord will bless this people and make them a rich people if they will first seek His kingdom and His righteousness, and providing the object in gathering riches will be that they may be able to do more good.

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We used to have more preaching upon home manufacture. I believe those teachings are as good today as they were years ago. What if we cannot follow the fashions from abroad to so great an extent? We ought to make ourselves a self-sustaining people; v have all the elements right here in our State to make such. Yesterday I read the report of Z. C. M. I. for the last year. It said there had been about seventy thousand pairs of shoes made by that factory. This is quite a step toward stopping the importation of shoes. If we had ten such factories in our midst I presume we could supply our needs in the shoe line. The report also stated that they had made some one hundred and thirty thousand garments-overalls and jumpers. I was pleased with this item. Though they do not make much money in these departments, yet they keep a great deal of means in our midst; and this should be encouraged. We should encourage all of our home institutions that are trying to stop the outlet of means, so that the money we obtain can be kept in circulation among us a longer time. Let us take a pride in our home manufactures. Let us see to it that we do as much as we can to give our poor employment. I am sorry to think our tanneries have not been a success; I think they could be made so. We have an enormous lot of hides going out from this State. They are tanned abroad and brought back here in a manufactured

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shape. We could retain a great deal of means here by manufacturing our own leather. Bark is not easy to be secured here, but perhaps other means of obtaining tannic acid can be had and a success made of this branch of All of our wool that goes industry. out and is brought back as cloth would have been a great saving if we could have manufactured it here, and then sent it out as manufactured goods. Brethren and sisters, there are many things that our leading brethren different in the settlements should study and think of and advise the people to do that we may be a prosperous people. We cannot afford to keep up the style we do and do it on raising wheat and selling that at forty cents a bushel. Some change must be had in this. I noticed when I was back on my mission in visiting my native land, Denmark, that a great change has come over that country. The formerly exported their rye and other grain, and while they did so they were a poor people. Of late years they import grain, feed it to their stock and export their butter, their eggs, and their meat England. They have been able to obtain a higher price for their articles of export. The farms there are prospering, or rather, they would have prospered, if they had kept to their old and simple manmethods, frugality ners; but they are trying to educate their boys and giving them city appe tites; they can not live on their country incomes, and they are going into debt, giving mortgages on their farms, while they are getting several times as much means as they were wont to do. I bring this up for our consideration. I believe if we could use up our grain at home and export that which does not weigh so much, we would not have to pay so much freight, would have more means and make ourselves more independent.

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I have got on the subject of home manufacture. I believe it is a thing we ought to study, brethren and sisters, for our well being, and we should look after the poor and give them employ

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May God bless you all and bless our leaders, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

ELDER MARRINER W. MERRILL. Expansiveness of the Latter-day Saints-Material Interests of the peop.e-Debt should be avoided -A porfitable course for young people-Value of the counsels of the Priesthood.

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At these conferences many subjects discussed that they can not fail to be edifying to all of the people. If only one subject were introduced and all of the speakers dwelt upon it, perhaps it would not be so interesting. I am glad to be associated with my brethren and sisters in this general conference. I have had a good many reflections in listening to the remarks we have already heard. They have brought many things to my mind of a former date and of former times here in this country. While it is the privilege of all Latter-day Saints to themselves of the have evidence for

truth of the Gospel and of the divine mission of the Prophet Joseph, we are not only instructed and reminded on these subjects, but are reminded of affairs that pertain to us of a temporal character. The Latter-day Saints are growing and spreading abroad.

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I met a gentleman on the train the other day from San Francisco. He was born and raised there; and he hadn't heard anything about our people; and he seemed very anxious to know something about the doctrines of Church. I said to him: 'We have a mission established in California; we have Elders laboring in the city where you hail from; you can hear our Elders any Sunday if you will inquire after them; and you can become acquainted with the doctrines of our Church.' He remarked that he supposed nearly all of the Latter-day Saints lived in Salt Lake City, and that during the last forty years there had not been much growth among them; that there had not been much expansion. I remarked to him that I was surprised that a man of his intelligence was not better acquainted with this people.

Forty years ago I suppose the majority of the Latter-day Saints were located in this valley-Salt Lake Valley, but today they are spread abroad and I advise the gentleman to get our Church works and read them; and it was a good opportunity to bear my testimony to him of the Gospel. I be lieve there are many hundreds of th

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I said a few moments ago that the Latter-day Saints may satisfy them. selves with regard to the divine mis sion of the Prophet Joseph; and what does it require to become satisfied? requires time and attention and a prayerful and thoughtful consideration of the doctrines of the Church, and of the scriptures; that which is written in the Bible, in the Book of Mormon, and the Church publications. Entreat the Lord in regard to it and no man will be turned away. It is said: "Knock and it shall be opened unto you; ask and ye shall receive." Do this that as members of the Church you may be able to give a reason for the hope that you have and have a testimony of this work. There are a great many cerditions existing among the Latter-day Saints on which we may improve. Apostle Lund referred to home inanufacture. But little has been said about it of late years. There was a time when there was quite an excitement raised throughout the country about home production. I presume those things are going forward gradually, as we can find a great many things of home production throughout the country. It is a good thing and we should encourage it, sustain it, think about it, study about it, not only here but in all of the organizations of the Church. It is a grand thing to be selfsupporting. An individual, a family, on a community that is self-supporting

is the best off. They are easiest in their circumstances.

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I believe we have made many mistakes in the past as a people and as individuals; and there is no doubt but that we will continue make mistakes from time to time, because our judgments are not perfect, and we follow the solicitations of our families and of our friends, and indulge in things that we should not indulge in. It is my opinion that we are being led to habits of extravagance and the result will be serious. It militates against us, and it militates against our improvement and advancement. I was thinking while Brother Lund was talking about the poor being employed, that if every man and woman in the Church (because there are sisters that manage things for themselves), that are able would employ some one or two or more as their circumstances would warrant there would be nobody looking for work; everybody would be employed. There are people that have natural endowments enough from the Lord to direct the labors of others to their own profit and to the profit of those whom they employ. This is a matter for consideration by those who have means, to employ some of our poor. In some of the counties they begin to feel like throwing the poor on the county to support. They say: 'We pay our taxes to the county and the State and the poor should receive consideration from our officials in the county capacity or in the State capacity as the case may be. I do not think this is the proper thing. I do not think there should be anybody foisted upon the county for support. If we turn the poor off, peradventure the Lord will turn us off, for He said: poor ye have always, but me ye have not always.' I do not believe we can afford to turn the poor off on the county for support. I believe if the Latterday Saints would turn their ear to the Lord and listen to the counsel of His servants that there would be means provided in all the settlements of the Saints to provide for the poor. They should not be turned on the Church either for support, but they should be provided for as the Lord has directed. It is my firm conviction, coupled with my experience, that if the poor were properly looked after in every ward and

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to understand the necessities of the poor, every ward (there may be some exceptions) could support its poor without turning them on the county or Church for support. There are places in the Church where comparatively there are no poor. Well, the responsibility rests upon the people to contribute of their offerings for the benefit of the poor just as much as if they had plenty of poor to consume all they gave in. The counties have plenty of use for their We have lived here a good many years and in some places it is difficult to travel because of the conditions of the roads and highways. The counties have plenty of places to put their means for the benefit of the great public. They can make our highways such as they are in the olde. tries.

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I heard day before yesterday from an eminent financier, a remark that struck me with considerable force. He was telling me how to get out of debt. It may be that you would like to know, for I imagine a good many of our people here are in debt. This brother of long experience, who had passed through the mill, told me how to get out of debt and how the people could get out of debt. I listened with a good deal of attention, because I thought it was worth something, and something that all of us ought to know, for a great many of us don't know and have it yet to learn. It was simply this: "Stop immediately from going into debt. Don't go into debt another dollar until you get out and are free." That is a simple way, and it might prove to be an easy way, too, if we would do it. Stop going into debt; don't buy anything you can't pay for from this time henceforth until it can be said, "Israel is free; there is a free people, untrammeled, not in bondage up there in the mountains; they are lenders, not borrowers; they will lend you money if you will give them good security." This is the situation the Lord will bring us to bye and bye, when He educates us a little further and takes us through the school of experience. We will come to this because the Lord has designed it. It is said that the people of the Lord will be a rich people. I believe this. I have heard promises

from our eminent brethren of experience to the effect that the Lord would help us this one time if we would help ourselves in the future and cease our habits of extravagance. Everywhere, in all of our homes, we should cease these habits of extravagance; learn to economize; learn to save; learn to be prudent, wise, and judicious in the administration of our affairs.

And young people that are of a marriageable age should get married. I don't mean to become engaged and then wait two or three years, or one year-to become engaged and think they are just about as good as married. I advise that they get married when they are of a proper age, and when they are married to cease as soon as possible to work for wages. Go out and do something for yourselves. Go somewhere; there are many opportunities in the West and in the South. We receive letters from people all over the country telling of opportunities for young people to commence in life, settle down, and become independent; where they can make themselves homes and rear their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. This idea of people always working for a salary with nothing else to depend upon, I don't believe is a good thing for young people. I believe they ought to become independent, and not depend always upon some one else for a livelihood. It is true it is very pleasant to be in the city; it is very pleasant to have the society there is in the city, and to have the amusement and the natural advantages that accrue to the people; but the question is, can you afford it as young people? I know there is an idea growing up in the midst of the young people that they can not get married until they have as much as their father or their mother; they must have a nice home, well furnished before they can take a life partner. I believe this is wrong. I believe young people of a proper age ought to get married and they ought to depend upon themselves; and a young man should marry a young woman that is willing to put forth her efforts to help. Get a helpmeet; one that will help to make your advances in life; help to make you a home; help to sustain the family; and will do something for the good of the community. This would be my advice and my coun

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stances are such that they can marry, I don't believe it is a good thing. That is the way of the world. They have grown up with that idea in our large cities. Young people become enamored of city life. It is a good thing to have cities, but it is a good thing for young people to reflect and think over these things; and when they earn a dollar they should know how it comes. People who earn their money know just exactly how it comes, and they know better how to save it. These things should have the consideration of the young people. They should also be considered by the parents, because parents sometimes feel: "O, I don't want my son to go away off out there, and I don't want my daughter to go away from me and go out in the country somewhere;" and young people get discouragement many times from their parents. These things I know to be a fact, and I do not believe they have good results.

Our people are a growing and prosperous people, and we should observe the counsels of the servants of God in regard to these things. This is a matter that is becoming more or less in disuse among the Latter-day Saints to listen to the whisperings of the Lord through His servants. I repeat, it is becoming more or less in disuse among the people! and the older ones are educating the young people that it is not so very important to listen to the counsels of the servants of God. But I want to say unto you that according to my education and experience in the Church there is no other way whereby we may be saved; there is no other way whereby we may be exalted; there is no other way whereby we may obtain eternal life. We must yield to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit; we

1st yield to the counsels of the Priest

hood, no matter what the world may think in regard to these things. It is a principle that God has established in the earth; God has established it and we can not change it. Those that will listen, and turn their ears to the Lord will be on the right side bye and bye; when the sheep are separated from the goats, those who have listened to the whisperings of the Lord through His servants will be found on the right side; and they will be remembered and they will have said to them: "Come ye blessed of my Father, etc." According to my education and experience in the Church, and according to the teachings I have had and the suggestions through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, there is no man, I don't care what his standing is; he may be a president of a stake, or an apostle, no matter, he can not safely gainsay the counsel of the Priesthood. If he does he will have it to meet some day just as sure as the sun rises and sets. I know this as well as I know that 1 look upon this congregation. We must observe the will of the Lord; we must observe the counsels of the Priesthood, no matter what the world may think in regard to these things; and we can do this in all humility and maintain our right and manhood, and maintain our fellowship with each other and with the Lorà: but when we turn away from these things we are like the sow that was washed and returned to her wallowing in the mire. The Lord has established His work; He is about to establish His kingdom; He has revealed the everlasting Gospel; and He has revealed the principle by which you and I may go back into His presence; but when we turn a deaf ear to these things, through some motive or other that may arise in our minds, we will have to atone for it sooner or later. Write it down in your journals if you please, because these are eternal principles of truth revealed to the Latter-day Saints! We are in advance of the world in regard to these things. The Lord has been merciful to us. He has given us line upon line, precept upon precept; here a little and there a little; not given it to us all at one time. We did not have everything revealed in the days of the Prophet Joseph; but we do not live up

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