Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-04-19
r. EMAR X S
ELDER FRANKLIN D. RICHARDS,
IL The General Conference, held IN
he Tabernacle, SaR Lake Oily,
.S,HaoayDiOrni'lg, 1iorR sta, 1890.
lREroRTED by ARTHUR WINTER. /

| ne Tabernacle, SAB Lake CRy,
Safeguarding, 4prR Sth, 1890.
tREPoRTED by ARTHUR wISTER.l
Beloved hearers. I esteem it in
deed an inestimsble blessing 20 he
perDitted, with you, 10 listen to the
precious testimony that we have
just been listening to from cur ven
enble President. / know that the
things which he has declared unto
us are the eternal truths Of heaven
that have been revealed % us in the
day in which we live. They are no
more true from my knowing they
are true, or from you knowing they
are true, than II We did not know
IL: or II the wicked do not know Il,
they are no les true. They are the
truths by which the people Of this
generation will have to he judged.
President Woodruff has lived in this
Church and in The knowledge Of
this Church almost sixty years. l
have lived in it about fifty-two
years. And / wish TO say that J
also know that this Is the work Of
the living God. II has not been
devised by man, nor by any COM
bination Of men. But il has been
sent forth by the eondeseeusion Of
our Heavenly Father, through our
Lord Jesus Christ, and by the min
istry Of holy angels. The wisdom Of
men has been brought TO naught
wherein they have thought that
| they were Of necessary importance
in the work OF God. He has taken
those who were young In years,
/ ignorant of the learning OF the
world, aud has taught them in the
I knowledge Of Himself and OF His
PURPOSES. This Is the highest de-
gree OF knowlsdge that is conferred
upon men in the earth, and the
human family are going to find il
so.
I The present is time when those
I who are doubtful and who are less
established entertain feelings Of
trepiiation in their hearts, not
knowing what has been, as some OF
/ the older ones do know: therefore
they are not prepared 10 understand,
without the revelations OF Jesus
Christ, what IS 10 come. But there
T. philosophy in the Gospel Of the
Lord Jesus Christ which aids peo-
pie SO that they come TO understand
the necessity Of some thirgs that
have TO exist. Our children, the
rising generation who lave been
born in these valleys, and the
many who have emigrated TO this
country from foreign nations during
the period OF ouc existence here, are
ignorant Of the prosecutions that
occurred to the people Of God in the
States. They have not had n
knowledge, and sense, an under
standing, and n conscious cOnipre-
hension Of those things; and they
also must be made, hy the blessings
aud prOvidences Of God, 10 come
with US 10 n Knowledge OF His dis.
pens1tions, to an understanding Of
HIS appointments and OF the great
truths that have been revealed.
True, many Of our children have
come up in the Sabbath schools and
in the various associations, and
have obtained 4 knowledge by the
testimonies Of the Holy Ghos. for
themselves. But there are many
who have not; and it is pitiahlc TO
remember that some are associated
with such parentage that they DO
not have the EXAMPLES before Them
which are calculated to bring them
to the knowledge Of God in their
earliest days.
We have had aperiod OF almost I'M
eXampled prosperity. While cur
children aud they Of little experience
have not had 4 full knowledge OF
these things, what have been the
feelings OF those who came from the
States here, scattered aud peeled, n
little over forty years ago, when IL
was not knOw tha, nian could sub I.
sist in these valleys? Tire feelings ]
Of these men aud women are senti- |
ments Of the utmost gratitude 10 God I
that they were permitted TO get I
away safely from their pgofessed |
Christian friends and iaw!ess mob I
bcrs and have little rest in these 4
mountains, where We could serve .
God according 10 the dictates OF onr I.
consciences. The IAtd graclously /,
brought US out through great difficult Z
ties, thousand miles from settle I
ments, where we were hidden, as ii |
were, from the people Of the nation f.
aroundus. And for quite n season lit I
is within the memory of some, aud /
precious il Is yeti the Lord blsasei I
us 20 appoint the rulers from among I
our number, even the pOlictial rulers. ]
We were blessed with the Iy.st OF |
guidance and wisdom, by men who /
were inspired with the. revelations
Of Jehovah TO teach US. We were
united, We were happy, and we
knew nothing Of drunkenness, and
scarcity krle " profanity; aud blessed 4
as we were In this excellent latitude
OF supeslative health, 1t WIS q say
ing among the people for many
years that we were not going to die
here Of disease. We did not, but
died Of old age. Presently the av-
enues ofcOmmunicatiOn wereopened
up, and all manner Of people came
to dwell among US, and all
manner Of spirits and diseases dwell
among US Ii becomes now n he
cessiiy Tor every saint to have on
the whole armor that he may be
able 30 stand for himself be-
before his God, and contend success
fully against the powers OF darkness. /
This is our condition today. These
things are calculated TO put us, Ia
Iarlanee, upon our metal,
TO find out whether we are right
with Gcd, having fellowship and in
huence with Him. Obi II all those
who are before me today would
have and keep the testimony Of Je-
sus, the spirit OF revelation that our
President has been telling us Of,
what would lie the consequences?
Would there be any difficulties
among this people: No indeed!
Every family would be living i'm the
light and spirit Of that revelation.
Zach family would govern itself.
The Presidency OF the Church, the
Of Stakes and the Bis
lOps Of Wards. as well as the Hl.,h
COUNCILS, would have little to do In
ettling difficulties. Why? Because,
IS the Prophet Joseph said, the peo-
he being taught correct principles
hey would govern themselves.
This Is what the Lord is trying 10
,riDg His people up TO, land fortunate
or us II we 50 live rs to acquire
hose abilities Of self-government ,
mi self-cOntrol. | would admonish
II that they cultivate diligently ,
he spiiit Of prayer and duplication.
With this vast tide of prosperity,
With this influx Of wealth and infia-
ion of prices, many men are forget
Ing their prayers-old and young
nd thor A.. h,x-faar -. ,,..,-I, I