Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

of

observance

through a lack
of
this counsel, and through parents
sending their sons or their daughters,
or permitting them to go, to the larger
cities to obtain employment in hotels
and in families that are not good, or
in other places where they have not
It is a
been under proper restraint.
very good thing for us all to be placed
under proper restraint. It is a good
thing for us to have good influences
thrown around us. Is it possible that
fathers and mothers can, in view of
these conditions that
will
surround
their daughters, permit them to come
into these cities, leaving their homes
and natural guardians to obtain em-
ployment without knowing of their
surroundings and knowing that these
shall be good? There are very many
Latter-day Saints that cannot get help,
either girls or young men. They can-
not get the assistance they need on
their farms and in their families be-
cause they do not live handy enough
to Main street, or because other con-
ditions are not satisfactory to those
who are seeking employment. I feel
that it is the duty of every Latter-day
Saint to know in what kind of a fami-
ly their sons or daughters are living,
where they are found at night, and
what conditions and influences they are

down to be seen or to see, if they are not very careful, will lose their standing in the Church of Christ, they will break away from the restraint of the parental home, and they will lose their virtue that is ten thousand times more dear to them than all the money they will ever be able to earn in their life.

This is something that parents ought to give their attention to, for we realize that the devil is not opposed to immorality. He is not even opposed to prostitution. The sanctimonious of the world are not opposed to these things. We have never heard in all our lifetime the great cries raised against prostitution and such like vices practiced in the world that we have heard against patriarchal marriage. It was because this principle is of God; but the works of the devil are not found fault with by the agencies of the devil. There are very many in the world that are opposed to conditions of restraint placed upon young people, but there is a large majority of the sons and daughters of God upon the earth that consider laxity in these things to be of a very grave character, because. the devil is pleased with such as yield to such things. We are told that we are the servants of

whosoever we list to obey. If we list to obey the teachings of God and His counsels, we are the servants or the handmaidens of God. If we list to obey satan, we are satan's servants. I feel that the conditions that are arising in some quarters in this city and in other cities, are alarming, and fathers and mothers ought to give their attention to these things. They ought to try to keep their sons and daughters under a proper influence and from improper associates. You may feel that they are all right, that you have trusted them, and probably many of them can be trusted; but it is not a good thing to expose them to conditions that bring them into temptation and danger, that are against morality, virtue, honesty and truth.

under. It would be a great surprise to many of the fathers and mothers, perhaps, if they were to walk down our Main street here some Saturday night about 11 o'clock and find, to their astonishment, that there were more young men and young women upon the street at that hour than can be found at any time of the day during any of the week days. Now, my brethren and sisters, many of you who have allowed your sons and daughters to come to this city to go to school or to obtain employment and think they are all right, that they are keeping proper company, you would be surprised, perhaps, if you personally would take stroll down Main street and find some of your sons and daughters upon that street in an unseemly hour of the night, and not in proper company either. Young people who frequent the streets of this city, or any other city, at a late hour, with no so good, than go away from home to other view than simply to walk up and be exposed to the conditions which are

a

I believe that sorrow will be brought to many of the homes of the Latter-day Saints if they do not give these matters proper attention. Your sons and daughters had a thousand times better stay at home, if their clothes are not quite

found in the cities, and wreck their lives and make themselves miserable and useless in the service of their God. I feel that the Latter-day Saints ought to see to it that their sons and daughters find employment and lodgings in the Latter-day Saints' homes. And this is not boycotting either, for the protestants and the Catholics do it, and no fault is found with them. And we are just as free as any other people to advise people what to do, and I do advise the Latter-day Saints to see to it that their sons and daughters find employment or lodgings in the homes of Latter-day Saints, when they come to the city to spend the winter or look for work.

pray God to bless you and give us the spirit of this work in which we are engaged, and help us to do right and live faithfully before Him, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Sister Lucy Grant and the choir sang "Beautiful City."

ELDER JOHN W. TAYLOR. Dear brethren and sisters, I would have preferred to have heard from Elder Grant the remainder of this meeting, but he insists that I shall occupy a portion of the time, and I humbly pray that our heavenly Father will bless me with the light of His holy Spirit that I may have something to say to you that shall be appropriate to the occasion.

If there is one thing above another that impresses itself upon my mind at the present moment, it is the obligation that is placed upon the Latter-day

easy, I thought, it would be for one of those bolts of lightning to strike us. We could see the electricity running along on the barbed wire as we passed by a ranch, and a great many places the lightning struck.

Now, I say to you young men who are under the sound of my voice, lightning is going to strike all through this country. The next day when we were in a public meeting, getting up a subscription to furnish a few farmers with teams they having lost theirs during the storm-I asked the people if they would not subscribe and give a few cattle and horses; sufficient were obtained in a few moments, and arrangements were made to furnish teams to those who had lost theirs. Lightning is going to strike all over this country in a short time.

In regard to preaching this Gospel, I will tell you how I look at it. The Lord said to the Prophet Joseph Smith, "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, to every nation." He had renewed unto him the same commission that was given unto the ancient Apostles. How far have we obeyed this commandment? We have spent most of our time in Scandinavia and in the British isles, and more recently in the United States. There are hundreds of millions of people that have never heard the Gospel. How long will it be before the Lord comes? I don't believe He will ever come until the sound of this Gospel goes into all the world, to every creature. How long will He have to postpone His coming if we do not make faster progress than we are making at the present time?

Saints to preach the Gospel in all the world. A short time ago I was in Canada. While the weather looked pleasI feel to continue in the strain of ant, as we were passing along over the Elder McMurrin's remarks for a few prairie a thunder shower came up be- minutes, and speak of the Elders of fore we reached the village of Cards- Israel here at home. I would say to ton. I believe it was a little more se- you, Elders, do not be surprised if you vere than anything I ever saw or heard. are called again. President Snow anDuring the progress of the storm it nounced to the Twelve the other day killed eight or ten head of cattle and a that he expected them to open up the similar number of horses, knocked doors of the Gospel unto other nations senseless Brother Jenson and all his of the earth where it had not before family, set his house on fire, killed his been. What does that mean? It dogs, knocked to pieces a few telegraph means that where only one of the poles and scared everybody pretty near Twelve goes there will hundredsto death. I was out in the buggy, and possibly thousands-of Elders go.soonI know what my feelings were. How er or later. While the brethren were

the are.

white

as

people

going over the various nations where the Gospel had not been preached, they spoke of Russia, of Prussia and of Hungary, and they spoke also of Persia and of Austria and of those nations that are in central Europe. Besides, we have all South America, which is being settled up by the white races to a very great extent. We have all of Africa. The Gospel must go to Africa just well as to wherever they We have all of the numerous nations of India to preach the Gospel to. And I may say that in the southern part of Africa today there are many millions of intelligent people to whom the Gospel must be preached. And some of the best families of the Latter-day Saints were gathered from South Africa in early days. It is true we are preaching a little in Australia and in New Zealand, and upon the Pacific Islands, and have made considerable progress in those places, but we have only made a start. That you may comprehend the importance of doing our duty in this respect, let me show you the value that our Lord and Savior placed upon the preaching of the everlasting Gospel. On one occasion there were certain young men who had been faithful in keeping the commandments. I refer to several of His Apostles. And they came to Him and they wanted to get their reward, and He said to Peter, the Apostle: "Peter, what desirest thou of me?" And Peter said: "I would that I might return speedily with Thee into Thy Father's kingdom." And He asked John, "What desirest thou?" John answered, "I would that I might tarry upon the earth to bring souls unto Thee until Thou comest again in Thy glory." Then Jesus turned again to Peter and said, "Blessed art thou Peter, for thou hast desired a good thing, and it shall be given unto thee even in accordance with thy desire." But, turning unto John He said, "More blessed is my servant John, because he desires to tarry upon the earth to bring souls unto me, and to do a greater work than he has yet done, and verily, I say unto you, I will make him a flaming sword of fire and a ministering angel unto all those who shall be heirs of salvation to them that dwell upon the earth, and to you

Why? given

Is

for

(referring to Peter) and your brother James, will I give the keys to minister unto him," and He committed this ministry unto these three men. Here is a good example, showing that the preaching of the everlasting Gospel was greater than to go into the kingdom of our God and to dwell with Him with the Father. there any reason this? Yes, we have a reason here in a revelation given to Oliver Cowdery through the Prophet Joseph Smith. The Lord says: "I would have you remember how great is the value souls in the sight of God." For he says God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life. And He says,

of

"If it so be that you labor

all your days preaching repentance unto this people and bring save it be one soul unto my Father's kingdom, how great will be your joy with that one soul in the kingdom of my Father; and if your joy shall be great with one soul, how great shall it be if you bring many!" Here is shown the value our Father and our God places upon the souls of of the children of men. Outside of proving for the Latter-day Saints that are at home, and choosing men of wisdom to guide in the affairs of His kingdom, there is that great and mighty work to preach the everlasting Gospel to all nations, kindreds, tongues and people; and you are promised your reward. The Apostle Paul has said: "Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath in store for them that love Him and keep His commandments."

We have been told by Brother Kimball that he saw the soldiers of the United States marching forth to war

[blocks in formation]

bear you up, and I will go before your face. The music of the angels is sung unto those who are in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I heard Elder Golden Kimball say in the city of Ephraim, Sanpete county, that many of the Latter-day Saints are worrying about their sons for fear they will never return to the land of Zion. I would rather have every son that I have lay down his life in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ abroad, if it was necessary, than in any other field of labor that I can possibly think of, especially if they were laboring under the direction of the Presidency of this Church. But when a man is in the service of the Lord he is safer than in any other service. You may imagine you are safer here at home, attending to your daily avocations, but when you are in the service of God, our Eternal Father, all is well with you.

Now, young men, prepare yourselves to preach the Gospel of repentance unto the children of men, for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is near at hand, and it will require renewed diligence on our part to go forth and fulfill our missions and be in readiness for the coming of our Savior. He said he would cut short His work in righteousness. It is said that He will come as a refiner's fire and as fuller's soap, to purify the sons of Levi. We have been reminded here of the judgments and the miseries that are coming upon the nations. It is true as God lives. He says: "I will burn them, saith the Lord of hosts, by the brightness of my coming, and I will leave them neither root nor branch; yea, all those that are proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble, for the day that cometh shall burn them up." Take all those that are proud and all those that do wickedly from among the children of men, and there will be but few men left, and the words of Jesus Christ will be fulfilled in his prophecy in the 24th chapter of Matthew, wherein he says, "as in the days of Noah so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man." How many men and women were there that would listen to the Prophet Noah? There were but few, and I say that today, compared with the inhabitants

at live, but few men will receive the

truth; therefore, be humble and put away all pride, all vanity and nonsense of every kind, serve the Lord, and devote yourselves to His service.

I testify to this congregation, that these men who have gone forth and fulfilled faithful missions, have not feared the world nor the things of the world, but the Lord has led them to the honest in heart, and the honest in heart have received the testimony of the Holy Spirit, and the gifts and blessings have been poured out upon them as a stream of living fire, for truly the promise was made, as said John the Baptist, "Behold I baptize you with water, but there is one coming after me who will baptize you with fire and the Holy Ghost. I have seen when your sons, the Elders of Israel, have preached the Gospel, promising the Holy Ghost to the people if they would repent of their sins and laid their hands upon their heads; I have seen people stand up and prophesy and testify that God lives and that Jesus Christ is His Son; I have heard them speak in tongues, and others have interpreted, not by the power of man but by the power of God, and the signs have followed the believers. I know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God. I know that Lorenzo Snow has the inspiration of the Lord, and he is a Prophet, Seer and Revelator of this Church to guide us on to salvation; and I pray that God will bless him and lengthen out his years upon the earth, that he may live to see Zion redeemed from its bondage, and that we may be blessed and prospered as a people, Joseph Smith gave a definition in regard to those who understood the Spirit of God. He said: Show me a man or a woman who has the Spirit of God with him or her, and I will show you a man or woman whose greatest desire is to build up the Church of God upon the earth. Is this our desire, my brethren and sisters? I pray that the Spirit of God may rest upon this congregation, and that Elder Grant may be filled with the fire of the Holy Ghost, that He may speak as a man having authority and not as the Scribes and the Pharisees, that he may deliver the word of God unto us here this afternoon, and I pray that it may sink into good and honest

hearts and bring forth fruit to the honor and glory of God. May God bless all under the sound of my voice. And if there are any strangers here, I invite them into the waters of baptism, and I will promise them that they shall know that God lives, and that He has sent us, His people, to gather His Israel from the four quarters of the earth, and that the little stone that Daniel saw is rolling forth. Daniel said he saw a stone that was cut out of the mountain without hands, and it rolled forth and became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. He spoke of those who would oppose the progress of this rock, that they should be as the chaff of the summer's threshing floor, and there should be no place found for them.

Blessed are the honest in heart. Blessed are they whose hearts are to build up the kingdom of God. My testimony is, and it will always be, if you will sustain the authorities of this Church, God will bless you. If you do your duty, God will bless you and prosper you in the land of Zion. If you do not do your duty, the Spirit of God will not be with you, and you will not be prospered. I say to the ungodly, Do not oppose the work of the Lord. It is not the work of Joseph Smith. It is not the work of Lorenzo Snow. It is the work of God, the Heavenly Father. He can raise up a nation; he can cast it down. He can raise up an individual, or he can cast him aside. I say unto you, my brethren and sisters, the words of Jesus will be applied unto them in their fulfillment, Whosoever shall fall upon this stone shall be broken, but whomsoever this stone shall fall upon shall be ground to powder. Show me a man that has ever lifted up his hand against the Church of God that today is prospered in the earth. May God bless us that we may be as our fathers, for the building up of the kingdom of God and for righteousness and virtue and purity and for the spread of the principles of righteousness to the ends of the earth, which is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

ELDER HEBER J. GRANT.

I have rejoiced exceedingly in the conference we have had the privilege

of attending. I have been much pleased with the remarks that have been made in this overflow meeting this afternoon; and trust that the remainder of the time I may occupy, I may do So under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

I love the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I love to minister among the Latter-day Saints, and have had exquisite joy in this labor, and particularly have I rejoiced that upon some occasions I have been the instrument in the hands of God in touching the hearts of those who have grown careless and negligent in their duties, and they have seen fit to reform their ways and to be more diligent in His service than they have ever been. It requires a constant warfare on the part of every Latter-day Saint, for him to make a success. We cannot measure the work of God by the things of this world. God tells us in the Doctrine and Covenants there is no gift greater than the gift of salvation. We as Latter-day Saints have all started out for the gift of salvation, and we should so order our lives that when we have finished our work we shall be worthy to go back into the presence of our Father, and be worthy not only to receive en exaltation ourselves, but also to receive our wives and our children that have been sealed unto us that we shall possess them. No amount of testimony, no amount of knowledge, even knowledge that this is God's work, will ever save a man so that he will have his wives and his children, but the keeping of the commandments of God will entitle him to that blessing. That is the only way that they can possess them in the next world, for those they have will be taken away, unless they keep the commandments of God.

I wish to call your attention to the many failures that have been made be. cause of failure to keep the commandments. The Lord told Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer that if they labored all their lives in bringing but one soul to the knowledge of God they should have great joy. Notwithstanding this revelation, these men did not remain faithful, notwithstanding these men saw the angel of God; notwithstanding they gave their testimony to the Book of Mormon, in which they de

« AnteriorContinua »