Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-04-05

Iisiehing TO the testimonies borne !
aud teathinss given By tire brethren. |
The prediction to the ol,set lhat this
iworkthould be marvel and Won
der has been fulfilled. This can be |
eomprehended when the nature Of
this work, then In Its inception,
sixty years Ago Is compared TO its |
present status. Those who were
connected with the Church when
II was organized boxed forward to
this day and were glad. The
prophecies OF Joseph have been
partly fulfilled and the remainder
willialso be verified. He was told
that his name sheuld be known for
good and evii-throughoutt the earth,
and that The Book OF Mormon, the
record Of the ancient inhabitants Of
this continent should he revealed |
and published abroad and be a means |
Of maailesting the Gospel in greater
piSlnne-s. Therehas been no necessity |
to change any OF the principles in
cuicated IN the plan Of salvaboifi !
because, being true, they are
eternal. Joseph was shown by the |
power OF God that. those who eul-
braccd the Gospel should gather !
from the nations or the earth, and
he predicted that the Church should !
remove TO the Rocky Mountains.
These things have all been fulfilled,
anu IL is a marvellous work.
tits true That men have aposta- |
tizcd, that men highSin authority
have fallen, but that is no proof that
this work is not OF God. Some Of
thee men who followed the Prophet
Joseph Smith and were called TO as
sist him did not remain faithful;
but one thing Is evident 10 oil
those who study the matter,
that those witnesses to the Book OF
Mormon, those who published their
names to the world, all adhered to
their testimony; they never recanted
or took Il hack. They did not dare
TO deny; and although cnt off from
the Church,we find that they would
still give their testimony TO the
world that they had seen the plates
from which this work was translated.
SOME persons may ask, GLOW Is 1t
possible that men who had Seen
angels and had such n testimony
could fall away from the Church, az
these men did," Men may see an
/ gels and have revelations, and as
long as they obey the whlsperings
Of the Holy Spirit they viii not
apostatize; but when they begin to
feel thst thes have strength enough
in themselves, and fsii u Geknoyl-
edge God as their Helper, then they
cannot stand. ....,
I My testimony is that God has ~
tablished His work upon the earth
and will carry it 10 a SUCCESSFUL is
sue; that this Is the kingdom as was
predicted, and that weHiil see the
/. Lord fulfil His promises TO His
Saints. We have nothing to fear;
and rs President Woodruff told Us
this morning, We need not be
troubled. God is at the helm aud
will steer the good ship Zion into a
safe harbor. ..-.
| Apostle Mariner W. Merrill
spoke in substance as follows:
| have had many reflections today
in looking back over our history. /
was not personally connected with
the history Of the Church before
coming to this country, but I have
been somewhat familiar with tbst
OF our people since 1888, that being
the year came to America. have
attended many Conferences in this
city-in the old tabernacle here, in
the old BoweTy, and more recently
in this building. | have been led to
ask myself the question, Where are
our brethren whom we saw upon the
stand in years gone 10y? Where is
President Young. Jedediah NJ.
iaGant, Heber &. kimball, George
! a. Smith. Orson Pratt, and other
Apostles? Many Of those present
have perhaps heard these men bear
faithful testimony TO this work, they
having been identified with it from
the beginning. But they hayegone
on the other side Of the veil, where
they are actively engaged in pro-
mulgating the Gospel OF the Son Of
God. ..-
1t has been said by some people in
recent years-by those who snOw
not our people, our methods and de
signs-that those men whom have
just named were not loyal to the
government Of our country, that
they encouraged hloodshed, anarchy
aud opposition 10 law. |, for one,
having had personal acquaintance
with our deceased brethren, know
that these statements are untrue.
'rhey were not only loyal to the gov
ernraent, but faithful and true 10
their Church and people. They
sought the welfare and salvation Of
the Saints and Of the whole world.
During the settlement Of the north
by the Saints, where we were sur
roupded by the Indians, people
hostile to us, when some of our
brethren were actually slain, Presi-
dent YOung's advice to the Saints
was this: ''Do NOT shed their blood;
it is not our mission, it is
not our calling TO shed the
blood Of our fellows. Feed them
rather than TO fight them" This
has been the policy Of our leaders
all the time. both in the north and
in the south. and among all the
people scattered throughout this
land-to save, not to destroy. the
lives Of men. "'- r'..
i We are called upon TO build Tenn
pies; but we learn in the sacred
hook that David was not permitted
to build n Temple because he was n
man Of war and blOOdshed. The
! 4 - 10 -.
shed the blood Of their fellow-men,
but He requires them TO have a
crown of light set upon hill, to the
God-fearipg, honest, straight-f0r-
ward and upright in all the affairs
OF life-an example to all the
world.
We are assembled here today
from various States and Territories,
10 hear the word Of the Lord
through His servants. If we want
good Conference ana TO enjoy the
Spirit Of the Lord we must come in-
to this building humbly and peace
fully, seeking 10 know the Lord and
10 hear His voice through his SER
wants. The Lord has been very
merciful TO us ever since we first
came into this place, when II was an
unfruitful desert. He has blessed
this land ofZion to us, and will pre-.
serveit until He secs fit that we
4 should 60 somewhere else.lg We
must not, however, set our hearts
upon the things ofthe world to the
neglect Of those duties required Of
us as the servants Of God. -
l exhort you all 20 seek the Lord
earnestly, that you may know Him
for yourselves. | know that God
! lives, that this work Is true, that
Joseph Smith was a Prophet OF God,
1 that Brigham Young aud John ray-
Tor were Prophets Of God, great and
good men and flied with the power
81 God, as also are those who live