The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-04-07
AT THE TABERNACLE.
First Day of the Fifty-fourtl
General Conference.
APOSTLE GRANTS DISCOURSE.
Apostles John Henry Smith, Moses Thatcher
John W. Taylor and Elder Charles W.
PenrOse Also Speak.

Yesterday morning at 10 o'clock the fifty
ninth general conference opened in the Tab
ernacle. There was very large attendance
and there were on the stand, of the council
of the twelve apostles: MILFORD Woodruff,
Lorenzo Snow, Franklin D. Richards
George Q, Cannon, Moses Thatcher, John
Henry Smith, Heber J. Grant and John w.
Taylor; of counsellors to the twelve, Daniel
H. Wells; patriarch, John Smith; of the
presiding council of the seventies, Henry
Herman, Jacob Gates, Abram H. Cannon,
Seymour B. Young, John Morgan; Of the
presiding bishoric, William B. Preston,
Robert r. Burton, John r. Winder. There
were also present many of the prominent
members of the church from various parts
of the territory.
The congregation was called to order by
President MILFORD Woodruff There We're
the usual musical services by the choir,
and the opening prayer was offered by
Apostle Moses Thatcher.
President MILFORD Woodruff.
L am pleased to say, my brethren and
sisters, that l feel that our hearts should
be filled with gratitude to God for the bles-
sings we enjoy. We have again the priv
hope that our hearts will be lifted in prayer
to God our heavenly Father, that we en-
ioy His holy spirit to direct US in our
teachings | am glad to have the privilege
to meet with the Latter-day Saints in this
capacity We will call upon our brethren
TO bear their testimony and instruct us as
they shall be led by the holy spirit.
Apostle Heber J. Grant.
am pleased to have the opportunity to
once more meet with the Latter-day Saints
Il a general conference, and l earnestly
desire that while we are assembled to
gether during this conference that we may
be blessed by the aid and the assistance of
the holy spirit of God that each and all
may be instructed in our faith and IN the
testimonies of the gospel, and that we may
form resolutions at this conference that
will aid US in being more faithful and ener-
geti0 in keeping the commandments OF God
IN the future than we have been in the
past | rejoice myself in the testimony Of
the gospel. l rejoice in the peace
and the happiness that attends
the onward advancement of the
kingdom OF God established upon the earth.
The longer l live and the more Investigate
the principles of truth and the plan Of
salvation, the greater is my gratitude to
God for His goodness and his mercy unto
His people The more l study the gospel
themore plain it becomes to me. There is
nothing narrow or contracted in the gospel
of Christ. No man can read with a prayer
full, humble heart the revelations that have
been given to the Latter-day Saints with
out having his heart
FILLED WITH GRATITUDE
20 God for the glorious principles that have
come to us. l sometimes feel that we, IN our
shortsightedness, lose sight of the depth,
breath and height of those principles that
we have espoused. We get as it were into
a rut and we seem to think that we are the
especial objects of Gods care and mercy in
these last days; and we lose sight of the
fact that He is the God and the Father OF
all mankind. We lose sight of the fact
that we are engaged in plan of salvation
that is free TO the rest of mankind. 1t IS a
very difficult matter for US to feel desire
for Che salvation of those who are continu-
ally depressing Latter-day Saints. 1t
seems q difficult matter for US to realise
that BGod will bless the enemies of this
peOpIe. Yet the Lord has promised that in
His own due time He will redeem and save
his childl en- on the face of the earth. ex
cept the sons of perdition.
The Latter-day Saints are accused by the
world of being narrow and contracted in
their religion; that they are bigoted and
not liberal in their views. This accusation
lcaHnOb De u1d16 III JTuJH, Uue LaLIeE-
Saints are well posted in the principles of
the gospel. OF course, l realize that there
are many of US that are bigoted and
narrow in our views, but we must not
accuse the gospel because of mems preju-
dices if they do not live up to the principles
of the same. For instance, if I teach my
child to be honest, you must not blame the
principles of honesty if the child is dis
honest. If
TIE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
teaches US to be liberal and kind, and you
ind men that do not carry out these in
I,Ta,,,o tLa oosnel for this. We have been
6 en@f 1 1RS s as Latterday SAINTS to repent
Of sins to keep the % nasong SRe OF
',.oration of the gospel, that God, cur
Heavenly Heavenly Father, and His son Jesus Chris
have once more visited the earth ti and re- et
stored the gospel. This Is Ohe testimony ol
70 Th ies Lord is no respecter of persons; and