The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-10-12
FIFTIETH SEMI-ANNUAL con-
FERENCE.
FIFTH DAY.


The ds1ning Of brighter day,
Msjestic rises on the world.
Prayer by Elder Edward Partridge
Choir sang hymn on psge %:
Arise, o glorious Zionl
Thou joy Of latter days,
Whom Countless saints rely On
To gain resting place.
ELDER ORsoE PRATT said: hRvl
iust been asked by President Taylo
20 address the congregation thi
morning on the subject OF divine
authority, priesthood calling, etc.
We hAVs in this church severa
thousand male members who hold
authority and power which they say
lie from heaven. II it is from heaven
as We testify, then the Lord bal
manifested his POWER and goodness
in once more bestoWing this authority
on the children OF men. On the Other
hand, If the views OF the world are
correct that We have no authority,
then we are on the same platform
as they are, without authority, and
then in all religious denomination.
Ghere il no authority to be found.
We are not indebted TO man for the
various authorities OF this church.
Man did not commence this work nor
did be commence the authority
therein. The Lord did not confer all
authority at once, but it vas gradual
work. Authority Was bestowed before
there was any church established.
Not the authority OF the priesthood.
bat the authority to bring out the
plates OF the Book of Mormon and to
translate them He did not bestoW
upon Joseph the priesthood =! this
time. When be translated the plates
by the aid Of the Urim aud Thummim
be did NOT have the priesthood 10 re-
gard to bis temporal ordination; he
had the priesthood before he came
here, n the councils of eternity. He
was among those VINO are spoken OF
in the Pearl of Great Price, the
chosen spirits that existed before the
world was made, that were called
noble, because OF their steadfastness
and integrity, and that we're reserved
to come upon the earth to preach
salvation to the children Of men. We
are taught in the Book Of Alma that
the priesthood is without beginning
or end; no beginning TO the ordins-
tons, the priesthood being handed
down and held by those who are
worthy ID hold it. You have read in
The revelation given September D,
1882, that without the priesthood and
the ordinances thereof that no man
can see the face OF the father and
live. This has made yolr minds
revert back to the time when there
vas no priesthood here and to the
time when Joseph called or the Lord
and saw 8 pillar OF fire coming down
with so great a glory that this boy
was fearful that the trees would be
The glory descending on
him, his mind was caught away, and
he saw the father and the son. How
is il that Joseph lived after he saw
the father and spoke to him. II you
mad thought OF this subject, that
Joseph was ordained BEIGE the
world was made to a priest
hood of endless life. and
had been ordained to come forth in
the dispensation OF the fullness OF
time, then the mystery would have
been cleared up to your minds. He
was ordained to come at this time.
he could see the face OF God, the
father, sud live, but after having re-
ceived this heavenly vision and
found the Book of Mormon; having
received commandment from God
to organize the church. and been Or
iaiDsd by Peter, James and John, on
May 18th, 1929, be was prepared to
begin the establishment OF . work
ihst should be everlasting. The key
Of the Asronic priesthood, and the
aposlleship having been conferred
upon him, be was qualified to ad-
minister in all the ordinances OF the
The Lord saw proper, after
haviLg conferred the authority and
priesthood. to build little by little. In
a accordance With a revelation given In
juno 1929, there we're called twelve
apostles. WhGl did Ne know about
the apostleship or its duties ? Moth
ing except what God revealed. After
this Apostleship was conferred some
we're faithful andisome not, and the
blessing OF Gcd Was upeu those toet
we're faithful. About the came time
the Lord called servants TO administer
under the apostles. A great many
we're called. Some vera faithful and
some were uniaithful. and did at
last apostatize. Those who faithful
will have o claim upon the blessings
of the eternal world. What was
known about the duties o; these
Seventies until God revealed thsnT
Nothing. God POINTED out their duties
and their presidency aud their duties,
and the Lord made them known LITTLE
by little. Why did not God give ths
whole pattern at once? Because W.
we're as little children then and eoulc
not bear all at once, but enough wa
revealed to set US rejecting and wheI
We prayed to God to reveal US MGR
he would do it. This ia the way tha
every wise parent would take to ecu
cate his children. They should b
taught 8 little at . time. Alter th'
church was organized the Lord sa7
that it was necessary to establish
plan in relation to the property OF To
church in the state of New York
The Lord said. January 2, 1881: lie
all my church here leave these easter
LANDS and gather to Kirkland imms
ldiAtely, lest your enemies come upo
lyou." He knew what was in the
ihearts. We had no bishops to tax
lohsrge OF the property. The Lor
said let certain men be appointed
ltake charge of your property. Her
we're certain men appointed withoJ
ordination 50 do the work Thlc
bishops afterwards did. When the
men had fulfilled their duties al
nod been gathered to Kirkland it b
came necessary to appoint bishop
but we're these bishops always to
taken from the high priesthood? N
At the time that Bishop Partridge vi
ordained bishop in 1881 there We
! no high priests, consequently eide
were specified to act as councillor
Also in the revelation given April
1880, there was nothing said aoo
J; high priests There are two par
graphs in thss revelation which 8
j. forth the duties of bishops and OF hi
9 priests, bat these were put IN