The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-12-04
SUNDAY SERVICES.

hymn beginning:
Arise, o glorious Zion,
Thou joy Of latter days.
When countless saints rely on,
To gain resting place:
Arise and shine in splendor.
Amid the worlds deep right;
For God, thy sure defender,
IL now thy life and light.
Prayer by Elder Robert Campbell.
The choir sang the hymn com.
mencing:
Sweetly may the blessed spirit,
On each fsithful bosom shine.
May we every grace inherit,
Lord We seek boon divine.
PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON
addressed the congregation, firsi
reading from the Doctrine snd Cove
nants, wherein it is promised that il
the saints will be faithful and obedi-
ent to the commands of the Lord, no
power shall prevail against them. He
said it was great blessing that God
had given his saints peace-s greater
blessing than any other that could
be given them. He had been asked.
since his return from the east If theie
were not much excitement through
out this country concerning the
saints; he had seen no greater ex-
element than was usual every year
Immediately preceding the meeting
of congress. There was a desire to
assume vigorous onslaught against
the saints, but this was nothing un
common; men resort to outrageous
falsehoods to accomplish their pur-
poses to create bitter feelings againsi
the saints. They seem to think that
anything, however false, will be be-
lieved by the credulous public. Op-
position based On talsehood could, in
the Lord, do the saints no injury, for
truth will prevail eventually. In this
consists the strength of the saints.
They know the statements made
against them are false, and they can
afford to await developments, especi-
ally as they had the promises of God
to sustain them. They had been
trained and educated to expect these
falsehoods and ts encounter the evils
with which they have to cope. There
were no spprehensions OF fears in the
mind of the Lat;er-day Saints. tor
Gods promises having been fulfilled
10 the past, they could be relied upon
in the future. The only cause OF
fear was that the saints would not
keep the commandments of God.
TIE Lord had promised the saints
that if they would hearken unto him
they should prevail against the
enemies of God, until the earth is
given under their control. The
promise would be fulfilled If the con-
ditions Were obeyed, but if these were
not observed the Righteousness of the
Lord would prevail against the saints.
The experience Of the saints since toe
revelation above note, was gwen,
proved the correctness of the Lords
promises. When the people bad
been united and obedient, their de-
liverence from the enemy had been
most marvellous, add the anger of the
world had been powerless to ipjure
them. It 10 not good sign for the
saints to be loved and spoken kindly
OF by the world. for it indicated that
the saints were not reveripg the
Lord as earnestly and faithfully as
they should do. The saints having
been chosen from the world. should
not be of the world. The condition
Of things to-day, the manifestations
of anger and hatred against the
saints, indicated that the latter were
living their religion and serving tie
Lord; that they were devoted to the
glorious gospel which had been res
yealed in these times for the saliva
ton of the human family. 1t was
occasion for rejoicing that the world
hated the saints. The saints had
only cause for tear in not living in
with the mimi and will of
God, It is of the utmost Importance
to them that they should be trustee.
Their success, prosperity and strength
in the past, have been due to the
union OF the people. 1t was this
union that gave them Importance in
The earth; strip them of that and
they would cut no particular figure in
the world; but united and increasing,
they became powerful. impress
sive and influential. 1t invested men
who directed them with dread. 1t is
the priesthood of the Son of God that
made the Saints united, bringing
them into the oneness that is ctarac-
EeristiC OF tie church. and it is
against that union that the enemy is
using all its force. 1t is not polygarn,
that arouses the enmity Of the world
against the saints; that was merely
to appeal to the passion
and prejudices OF the ignorant. If
were abandoned today the
hatred of the world would be ss in.
tense and bitter as it is at present. It
ia the organization of the church of
God, the restoration of the holy
priesthood, the union, the getting to-
gether of the people, that
caused the saints to be
hated. II the saints were to be-
come divided and cease to listen to
the bishops and elders, they wonld
amount to no more than any num-
bar of people anywhere. God hsi