The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-09-27
SUNDAY SERVICES.

ooO.
8Thou, at whose supreme command
The hosts Of darkness fly.
Upheld by whose eternal hand,
Thy saints can dare and die
Prayer by Jos. L. Haywood,
The choir sang the hymn on page
206
jesus. once Of humble birth.
Now in glory comes to earth,
Once he suffered grief and pain,
Now he comes on earth 70 reign.
PRESIDENT GEORGE @. CANNON
addressed the congregation. He
said there was little pleasure in
speaking in the character Of a
teacher unless OBLIGATION should
follow. Though accustomed TO
public speaking since his bOyho0d
| he scarcely ever arose 10 address an
audiences without a feeling Of tim
idity. He was thaEkfui for the
peaceful circumstances which sur
rounded the saints, that q g0Odly
degree of liberty prevails, and the
people were permitted to worship
their God without fear or mOlesta-
tiOn. If the saints did not enjoy
| the present, but lived in anticipa-
ton of the dreaded future, they
would be a very unhappy people,
for there had never been a day with
them when the future, looked at
from mans standpoint. did not look
forbidding. They were in an excel
lent position to have their faith
tested, their confidence in God and
his promises put to the proof. An
idea prevails among those not IA
miliar with the saints, that in order
to gather the people from the ma
lions of the earth, the
elders hold out extraordinary
inducements to their converts,
and thus beguile the ignorant and
unsuspecting; but those acquainted
with the teachings Of the elders
know that the opposite has been the
course pursued. From the begin
ming the saints had been taught
that their adhesion to the gospel
might cost them everything near
and dear on earth that God would
have a tried people, who would be
willing to pass through severe Or
deals; and those who had espoused
the doctrines of the Church Of God
has not been disappointed. The
faithful had had a better time than
they expected, because they were
able to overlook the evil that
threatened them. Had it not been
for their faith they could not have
remained faithful to the work. a
striking evidence of the divinity of
the work was in the fact that in the
most severe trials and threatening
circumstances the people have been
united ard remained true and faith
full. It had been industri0usly told
that the MOrmons were held TO-
gether by superstition and delusiOn;
that a few cunning men among
them had succeeded in duping the
people, Nothing was more widely
believed about the saints than
this. The power of priestcraft,
priestly influence. the strength OF
the hierarchy, the espionage eXer-
ciSed over the private lives Of the
the people, through the DaniteS,
and other things were thought to
be the means employed for holding
the saints together. 1t had been
said only q few years ago that no
body could leave Utah without the
consent Of Brigham Young, nor
write a letter without it being IN
spected by him, that no man could
withdraw from the church except
at the risk of his life; two or three
dramas were even forced on their
IDEAS. When JOhnston's army was
coming here the popular belief was
that the MOrmOns would hy TO it rs
s9VlOrS, and Tn WGmen leave by
hundreds. All these ISLANDERS had
been lived down, but the manufac-
ture OF others goes on, until many
scarcely know what TO think con-
cerning the people OF Utah. 1t
might be Supposed that considering
they had lived here thiTty-fVe years
and had the telegraph and railroad,
a better understanding concerning
the saints and their doctrines would
be eEtant. No doubt there was a
| better knowledge Of them, but with
/ the increased knowledge had come
conscientious dread. Many felt
that the MOrmons were greatly to
/ be dreaded. Congressman Haskell
once said to the speaker that
he had examined f0lisirs, and that
the MOrmons had the most magnili-
cent organization in Christiendom
and said that if the late legislation
did not answer the purpose, the
army would have to wipe out Nor
monism, in blood. Haskell felt
that the organization was dangerous
and must be suppressed. The Elder
asked him to come to Utah and
travel through the territory, and if
he were 4 fair man, he would
change his views concerning Nor
mons. There were men who sought
to gain popular favor through their
/ opposition 20 MOTmOnism. and were
anxious that the truth concerning
! the saints should not be known.
TheSe would be no end to the false
hoods about the saints for the reason
that whenever God attempts TO do
anything on earth, ali hell has been
aroused against the work, ami the
men engaged init. This had ALWAYS
been the case, and this generation
was no exception. In this age. and
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