The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-08-16
SUNDAY SERVICES.

afternoon the services were opened
by the choir singing the hymn be-
ginning:
Father how wide thy glory shines!
How high thy wonders rise!
Known through the earth by thousand
signs
By thousands through the skies.
Prayer by Elder a. II. Raleigh.
The choir sang:
Ye children of our God,
Ye Saints Of latter days,
Surround the table of the L2Id,
And join to sing his praise.
Elder THOMAS F. HOWELLS first
addressed the congregation. He said
that when he saw around him vete-
rams who have been faithful in the
gospel OF Christ, he felt his weak
ness in attempting to teach in that
gospel. At the same time it gave
him courage when he reflected that
they also were once young, and
gained their knowledge by long and
faithful service. Elder Howell bore
strong testimony to his knowledge
Of the truth of the gospel. He had
been born and reared in this terri
tory, had associated with the saints,
observation-disclosures andeXample, had
been privileged to travel and preach
the gospel abroad and from all that
he had seen and experienced he
knew that God was at the head Of
this work, watching over, protect
ing, guiding and directing his peo-
pie, he cared not what the outside
world said or thought to the con-
trary. Wherever an elder may go,
he would receive scorns and SCOTS
from those with whom he came in
contact because he brought testi-
mOny of the gospel. When the
speaker went ON his late mission, he
thought he was going to convince
all who came within the sound of
his voice, because he knew the mes
sage that he carried was true; but
he soon found that he was mistaken,
for he was spurned and scorned as
one deluded into proclaiming false
doctrines, some pretending Chris
tians even suggesting that the
saints should be killed. But
it was the same in the
days of Jesus and his dis
ciples, who were prosecuted and
finally slain. The gospel had been
restored to the earth through the
medium Of Joseph Smith, who with
others had sealed their testimony
with their blood; the saints had been
driven and prosecuted in the early
days; it was not then polygamy that
excited the enmity Of the world, for
that principle was not taught IN
those times; it was reVelatiOnsfrOm
God that the world opposed and
which caused it to drive the saints
from their homes to these noun
tains. Now God is blessing and
prospecting the saints, while their
enemies are again seeking their des-
tructiOn. AS to acknowledge Of the
divinity of the work, any
one could obtain that, but he
must follow the course laid down,
repentance, baptism, etc. If the
world should investigate the
gospel, and receive the testimony as
it might do, it would not be so
anxious to prosecute the little hand
full of people here in Utah, but
would know that they are the chill
dren Of God, in possession of the
gospel of Jesus Christ. The world
would feel like assisting the people,
for it would know they were walk
ing in the path marked ont by
Christ, and living according to the
principles revealed from above.
Elder Howell exhorted the saints
to be faithful to the light that they
had received, for they would be held
responsible to God for their conduct
on this earth. If they are faithful
their salvation is assured, and they
will be permitted in the life to come
to dwell with holy men who have
gone before.
ELDER G. W. PENROsE next adj
dressed tile congregation. He said
one of the evidences of the truth of
the gospel was the experience of
the young brethren who are sent
out to preach to the world. Every
one of them who is faithful to his
trust returns with a testimony of
the truth III his heart, having re-
ceived it from God. If any of the
missionaries become contaminated
with the world, and stain their gar
mentS, they do not come back with
that zeal, but fall away and make
Shipwreck of their faith. The saints
were not bound by cast iron rules
or ceremonies, nor by men. but by
the spirit of God, into which they
had been baptised. They received
the same truths in the same manner,
and hence they saw and thought
alike, having unity of the faith.
1t was said that people could not be
made to SEE alike. He knew it was
possible for great number Of men
to see thing exactly alike, and this
in other matters as well as religion.
The religion came from God, and
the saints knew there was a God,
who was a personal being. who was
at the head of this work. Now, that
God, having created all things, had
the right to control the earth, and all
the creatures thereon. It was un-
reasonable to think that this
being the case God would
not reveal himSnlf IN his