The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-12-31

PRAYER by Bishop o. F. Whitney.
Singing by the choir of the Christina
anthem beginning:
While Shepherds Watch their Flocks b
Night etc.
APOSTLE BRIGHAM YOUNG said it wa
with pleasure he met with the Saints
he felt somewhat as those did who hat
lust returned from missions. While h
acknowledged it was a pleasure to b.
engaged in the ministry, it was alsc
agreeable to meet with his friends
brethren and sisters at home. Th'
work of building up the kingdom il
the centre stake was a great and glori
Gus one. There are many in the Terri
tory who were born in the church who
are ignorant of the principles of the
gospel, who are so through carelessness
and with that class there were labors
and duties to be performed by the elders
and parents of such children. He
himself was Indifferent when very
young. There was so much now to
tempt and allure the rising generation
that there was a great field for reform
ing them and bringing them into the
fold. In the southern part of Arizona,
where he and Apostle Grant had been,
he found a good people. who did all
they could to promote the interests of
Zion; but their failure to keep the Word
of Wisdom was noticeable with them.
He had not seen much drunkenness,
but he had heard of it; their cigarette
smoking was strong IN them. There
was thorough reformation needed in
Utah, among the Saints, to do away
with wickednesS. God does not love
Rickedness, but that which is good, true
and righteous. There was too much
liberation of evils in the City of Salt
Lake; they could not be abolished, be-
cause the Saints were not sufficiently
united-united as God would have them.
How would he do away with them? BY
beginning with himself, at the founda-
ton, by wedding out his own imperfec-
tons and failings. What would hinder
any man doing this? His neighbor,
probably. There are terms and princi-
pies which we must live up to in order
to reach the presence of God and his
angels. Those principles and terms are
liberal, and no parent is harsh who |
would require of his children observ- |
ance of and obedience to them. The |
Saints need not-be under the bondage |
of sin. He noticed carelessness in the |
communities. How was it with the |
teachers in the various Wards2 In some |
instances the visits of these officers are
too few and far between. What was !
the reason? Thefew who viii labor are
kept doing so much-they are so willing
that the more they do the more they |
may do. He gave some sound advice !
with regard to observing order and
good behavior in public assemblies. /
Let US have peace, if We have to fight. |
for it. p" Persecution is rife. Where /
Everywhere. The enemies of the Saints |
have not got after many of the principal |
actors in the church affairs. This |
might be avoided if people were wiser /
and kept their own counsel, and be |
silent concerning matters pertaining to /
the keeping of the laws of God. With /
regard to some who were prosecuted it |
was: Now is the time for God to come |
out of his hiding place; l IN prosecuted; :"
they didn't mind Their brethren. He |
exhorted all to live their religion in the |
sight of God and man: 20 preach the |
gospel by example and word of mouth: |
do good to all who will allow them; be |
humble and faithful unto the end, and |
God would surely bless them.
PRESIDENT Ohm TAYLOR wished all the |
congregation merry Christmas and a /
Happy New Year, " and then ten thou
sand more of them. He had listened |
with pleasure to the remarks of Elder
Young. The Saints had been gathered |
to Zion to learn the principles of the /
gospel, to be taught and instructed in
things pertaining to their salvation.
And when they had learned the first
principles they were only as babes and
sucklings in the church and kingdom of
God. The Saints were here to prepare
themselves for an exaltation in the
celestial kingdom of our Father and
God. They were also to go forth and
preach the words of salvation to the
peoples OF the earth, and then gather
them together as the Saints are being
gathered Why are we here? "I'Il
take them one of city, and two of a
family, and viii bring them to Zion. and
l VIII give them teachers that will give
them knowledge and understanding, l
said one OF old. The Saints talked a ,
great deal OF the glories, powers, princi-
pies, etc., OF which they knew but little;
they cOmprehended them only in mart
1t was necessary to more fully under
stand these things, and to know more of
the subjects pertaining to the principles
sf life and salvation. Through obedi-
snce to the gospel, they had received the
Holy Ghost, and lnasmuch as they had
been faithful, that Holy Ghost had man
Tested unto them many great. glorious
md exalted principles. But, as Elder
Young had said, there were a great ;
many who were careless; who were not ?
zagnifying their calling and priesthood:
themselves to honor their
iod on the earth, nor for celestial lives
4 the kingdom of God. The Saints
Tere the elect of God, gathered to learn {
is laws; to knock at the door of knowl- =
dge and it shall be opened unto them =
D operate with those behind the veil for y
he welfare and benefit Of mankind; to .
9 instructed in there principles which :
I'LL eyalt mankind. The principal OBJ :
ct with many as: What shall I eat +? = :,
That drink What wear?" This +;
hould not be. 1t should be to act as y y
,viors upon Mount Zion; to be clothed =
BON with the Holy Ghost; to operate :;
ogether in this and other laws for the q,
of the purposes of God, n
Tor the perfecting of the Saints for the p,
ERIK of the ministry, for the edifYing Y
the body of Christ" and in all per-
lining to the exaltatiOn of the Saints
time and through all eternity. Bap-
srn and repentance were not much IN
ienselTss There is wrong in delAg "