The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-10-08
Adjourned to ? pm.

pm.
Called to order by President John
Taylor. Choir sang the hymn on
page S98:
Though nations rise and men conspire,
Their efforts will be vain;
Jehovah mecks their vile dssire
His Zion to defame.
Prayer by Elder George Teasdale.
Choir sang the hymn on page 329:
Awake, ye saints of God, awake!
Call on the Lord in mighty prayer,
That he will Zion's bondage esk,
And bring to naaght the fowler's snare.
PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH said {:
We should at all times concentrate
our faith and desires on The subjects
before us on the occasion of meeting
together, so that a blessing could be
obtained; if we ask not We need not
expect to receive. 1t is true that
the human family does receive
many manifestations of Gods good
ness without apparently mani
testing much desire for them, and
that the rain falls upon the just and
the unjust; but there are blessings
for which we must labor if we wish
to obtain them, and then We can
appreciate them when we possess
them. He sometimes reflected upon
the blessing of tue sunshine and the
rain being conferred upon the
human family, and being so little
acknowledged as being gifts directly
from the Lord, and was convinced
oy reading in the word of God that
hat an account will have to be
given, and answers made, for not
acknowledging the hand Of God in
chese things and putting them to
lie best uses in our power. The
great mercies and gifts of the gospel
ire not bestowed upon the children
Of men, without certain conditions
being fulfilled.
Faith is a gift of God, but it is
only bestowed by being sought after
from the hand of God. There are
many who profess to be Latter-Day
Saints, but do not enjoy this gift, for
they do not live in the way to claim
1t. We should have faith to ac-
knowledge the hand Of God in all
things; faith to know that Jesus has
atOned for our sins; faith to believe
the truth when it is presented TO us;
faith TO receive principles for our
elevation. eXaltatiOn and salvation.
The remission of sin is not COM
mon. dS is the sunshine and the rain.
God would not be consistent with
his own law and promises If he con-
ferred this boon upon man OF having
his sins washed away-be without
guile-With0ut requiring OF him d
putting away of unclean, impure
things and becoming Obedient to the
PRINCIPLES OF Christ. Man would be
unfit for communion with angels,
for fellowship with the Holy Ghost,
for dwelling with God, without first
becoming pure in heart, clean, washed
from all sin. The wicked may come
in the presence of God, but they will
feel most uncomfortable, most I'M
happy there, and will be thrust
out.
The gift of the Holy Ghost is be-
slowed upon those who have re-
ceived remission of sins, who have
faith, and none others. This is one
of the tests of eternal life. No man
can know that God is God, that
Jesus is the Savior and that his
blood washes away the sins Of the
world, but by the spirit of God.
Joseph, the prophet, even, might
have been deceived when receiving
the ministrations Of angels if he
had been without this discerning
power. 1t is the witness of the
Father and the Son, and to know
Godds eternal life. We may believe
without the Holy Ghost, but we can
only know of the things Of God by
this great gift. :.
If you will seek you Will find; II
you will ask you shall receive, ask
ing in faith, nothing doubling. The
power Of faith has accomplished
many mighty works. We read that,
by the faith Of Christ, he was en-
abled to feed the multitude, give
hearing to the deaf, give sight to the