The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-10-07
FIFTIETA SEMI ANNUAL CON
FERENCE.
FIRST DAY.

OF the Church OF Jesus Christ {
Latter-day Saints began its session o
10 o'clock on Wednesday morning
in the Big Tabernacle. There wer
present on the stand: President Johl
Taylor; Apostles Orson Pratt, WilforI
Woodruff, @. G. Rich, Lorenzo Snow
F. d. Richards, George @. Cannon
Joseph E. Smith, Albert Darlington
counselor to the twelve, D. FL. Wells
patriarch, John Smith; OF the sever
presidents OF seventies, Joseph Young
Horace S. Eldredge, John VanCet
and w. w. Tay lor; OF the presiding
bishops, Edward Hunter and Leonard
W. Hardy; the presidency of Bal
Lake and other stakes, besides lead
ing eldere from ell parts OF the terri
tory.
The conference was called to order
by President John Taylor.
The choir sang: "Mortals awake.
with angels join, and chant the
solemn lay"
Prayer by Counselor D. II, Wells.
The choir sang: "Sneet is the work.
my God, my king, To praise thy name,
give thanks and sing"
ELDER CHAs. @. Rich fret addressed
the large congregation present. He
felt thankful for the opportunity that
was thus afforded the saints OF as-
sembling together in conference.
Through these sssenblings oppor-
iunity was afforded the saints to con-
template the great and glorious prin-
ciples of eternal salvation. The
vanities and trifiing things OF this life
should not induce US to become care
lees regarding the principles OF the
Kingdom of God; but We should
throw ourselves open to perform the
duties and assume those respon-
sibilities that fall to our lot as children
and laborers in Israel. Only by the
enjoyment of the spirit OF the Eternal
Father can We prove ourselves equal
10 these duties. and to enjoy ull
share of that spirit should be the great
object that we hold in view. Existing
duties should not be shirked; we
should pay our tithing, assist in the
building OF temples by our means,
and be ss united in our temporal as
in our spiritual affairs. While We
are far from being perfect, our efforts
should not be less determined, but
should incite us to more determined
labor. Much is required OF us by
the Lord, and it should be our
constant desire to live in such a man.
per that will be pleasing in his sight.
To this end we should strive to posses
his spirit, for every blessing, in what
ever shape it may come, is but the
gift of his loving kindness to his chill
dren on earth May our devotion to
him for all his blessings, be evidenced
by our increased gratitude and zeal
and sincerity IL the work he has
called upon US to perform, is my
prayer In the name OF Jesus Christ.
ELDER LORENZO SNOW then arose.
He began by referring to the relation
ship We held to our Heavenly Father,
and the obligations that rested on US
IN securing the light of the eternal
gospel to guide and direct Us through |
the journey OF this mortal life. We
had no excuse to have our mind dark
ened or to be in q stste OF darkness. |
The holy priesthood is ours, and this, !
with the spirit of God would prepare
and fit US for the purpose of carrying
out his commands in q manner that
would be pleasing in his sight. !
Through it we could obtain an in
sight into all the conditions and rela-
of life-in things pertaining
10 our temporal as well as to our spirit
ual beings. The speaker cited the
history of Moses and the children Fl
Israel, and their wsnderings through |
the wilderness to show the power
and authority of the holy priest
hood. 1t directed the children
Of God in every duty and every walk
in life; pointed out the wsy for them
it heaped blessings and happiness
upon ell who obeyed lis calls, and
prepared them for the glory and |
steInal happiness of the world which
is to come. For that purpose it was
bestowed upon the children OF Isrs Ell,
and for the same reason the kingdom
Of God had been set up on the earth |
in this day and age. In proportion
IS We attain to intelligence and |
prove ourselves filled with the spirit
Of integrity and faithfulness to the
work in this world, in just such pro-
portion will We be exalted and glori-
fed when we shall be called behind |
the veil in the world to come. The
gospel of eteLpal life, as given in this
DAY and generation, is precisely the
sRme as that which was possessed by
the ancients; and the priesthood we
now enjoy is the same as that which |
was preached by the holy men of God |
in ell ages, ana with which these
men we're endowed and blessed to
guide the followers of the Lord in
matters relating 10 their existence,
whether as individuals or natieDs.
The people should be willing to be
guided by those who are inspired TO
impart instruction to them; and in
as they heed what is told
them will they become perfect in the
principles revealed to them, and be
better prepared to enjoy that fullness
of happiness which will be the por-
ton of the faithful hereafter. There
was a necessity for prsctica! purity
and holiness, and it was necessary
that our beings should be pervaded
with the love and kindness Of God.
and with bis spirit in this world. We
should not leave these thiDga for the
world to come.
PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR was the
next speaker: We had come to-
gether in this tabernacle 10 talk over
and reflect upon those principles and
those doctrines which are not only of
interest to US as people, bat which
are of interest to the whole world.
In these meetings the prominent and
leading men of the various sections
OF this territory congregate together;
they gather here from neither private
nor covetous motives, but for the
purpose of pointing out aud correct
ing whatever in doctrine or in
practice is not in conformity with the
mind and viii OF God, and with the
principles of eternal life which have
been revealed to US. We assemble
here that We may instruct each other
in the principles and that this mutual
instruction may strengthen each
in these principles and in the practice
OF every virtue, and in the hope that
they will be approved and sanctioned