The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-09-01
AT THE TABERNACLE.
Discourses by Apostle Grant and
Elder Pratt.

the choir singing the hymr
Ari,e, glorious Z:on,
Thou 10y of latter diys.
Opening prayer was offered by Bishop
o. F Whitney.
Choir sang another hymn:
Twas on tha. dark and solem night,
When powers of earth and nell arose
Against the Son, e'en Gods del ght,
And friends betrayed Him TO Ills foes.
The priesthood of the Seventh Ward
officlated in administering the Sacra
ment.
ELDER NEPEI PRATT addressed the
congregation, and said, We meet to-
gether on the Sabbath in order to be re-
minded of our duties and of those prin-
cipIes associated with what is called
Mormonism. When we first heard the
gospel, we became convinced that there
IS but one way of obtaining life and
salvation, that there is but one God, one
faith and one baptism. The holy
scriptures which we have learned to
reverence confirmed us in this fact, and
that the disputing among the religious
world arose from an ignorance of the
| truth. The simple truths of God were
foreign to US when we first embraced
them,. and they have now made us a
peculiar people, different from the
other religious denominations. We be-
lieve it right to fulfil the command
ments of God. We have obeyed the
call of the Angel who cried saying
"Come out of her Oh my people, that
We be not partaker of her sins, nor
I * Ha- 60 80 Il %.
have reached unto heaven" My life
parents were members of it before my
birth. I am an American by birth and
so were my progenitors, and yet my
father lost his life because of his
religious belief. l have been taught to
be full of loving kindness towards all
men, and do all can to bless them
with a spirit of humanity; notwith-
standing the persecution which my
parents experienced and in which |
shared when but a child. The persecu-
tons of our leaders. and of our beloved
Prophet Joseph Smith have been justi-
fed by the world, for no one was found
to defend them against the false accusa-
tons made concerning them. 1t has
I been said that the Latter-day Saints
should keep the law. Why we
are doing so, according to the
| Constitution. which we revere and
honor, more than those who are jeo-
pardlsing cur liberties. Have our lead
ers broken any laws? We are told that
( they have numerous wives and in this
( they offend. Why, they obtained thrse
wives before the laws were passed.
! They have honoreG their wives, and re-
manned faithful and kind to them; but
unconstitutional laws are robbing them
OF their rights and privileges. We call
upon the friends of humanity to con-
slider our circumstances. We are told
that the practice. OF plural marriage is
our offence. Why that principle is
advocated by the Bible, and its practice
by Abraham and many other ancient
servants of God. was sanctioned by God
And vet wicked and corrupt instigators
seek to prosecute US for believing prin-
ciple which was practiced by Abraham,
the father OF the faithful" God is q
lIv ng God, and will help us 70 CURLY
our hearts, and continue III good ac-
actions, that We may become
more perfect, that we may not
be ashamed OF Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, who had pltsrality OF wives. Will
there be any other place or heaven than
in their presence? Yes, outside, in the
company of whoremongers and thieves,
and those that do wickedly.
ATosTLE HEBERJ. GRANT said since iaS'
addressing the Saints he had been on a
trip east Us lar as New York City. He
found constant necessity to talk about
the Mormons. He found that public
opinion is that the Latter day Saints
should conform their conduct 10 the
Edmunds law But he could find no
one among honorable men who would
agree that we should prove recreant to
those wives we had married before the
Edmunds law was passed, and discard
them and their children. Our position
is unQuestionably a peculiar one, but it
is simply this, shall we obey the COM
mandments of God, the author of our
being, or shall we obey the laws OF men.
There can only be one answer
with honorable and upright men.
and that is to ooey God. 1t
is somewhat amusing when We
consider the hypt crisy of those who
passed the Edmund's law, when they
CLAIMED it was i'll the interests of NOR
atty. But now that the law comes to
be executed, i. is disclaimed to be in
the interests of morality, but IS solely
against the Mormons. This is i'll direct
contradiction to the Cons titUtion which
says no law shall be passed against
religion. IL is claimed that the leaders
of our church seek 10 and do control
the political affairs and offices OF this
Territory. Well, they certainly do so
well, fer the people are prosperous and
free of debt, and have full confidence
and love i. their leaders. If. ''by their
fruits We shall know Them" then the
union and prosperity of the Saints dis
proves the accusation against their
leaders recognize every mans right
to believe as he likes, though different
from me. The disciples of the Savior
were willing to suffer unto death for the
testimony they had obtained. And
this is the position of the Latter-day
Saints. A man who will not prove re-
creant to his most sacred obligations is
presumed to be disloyal. lis not so;
we have the greatest love and reverence
for the Constitution and all good laws,
bat we must observe the laws of God.
The Saints are fulfilling the laws Of
God and Nature. in multiplying and re-
plenishing the earth. The Bible every
where confirms US in our belief and adj
vocates the principle Of plurality OF
wives. The Saints are willing to con-
tinue to labor in the truth, being salts
fed that ere long all honest persons Will