The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-04-08
Apostle NJ. W, Merrill.

/ l realize that no elder can edify the saints
without the aid on the Holy Ghost. Oratory
and long sermons have converted very few to
the gospel. Men unlearned and unaccustomed
to public speaking have converted the honest,
because the Lord was with them.
| If there was. ever u time when the saints
needed to seek the Lord it is now, and 1 feel to
eXhort you my brethren and sisters, to turn TO
the Lord. Search your own hearts and find
out how you stand before the heavens. How
simple the language used by John the Baptist,
when he conferred upon Joseph and Oliver the
priesthood of Aaron. Yet that authority so con-
| ferred Cenbraced the keys of the lninistering
of angels and the gospel of repentance. Most
| of the adult and male members OF tie church
b ave received this or the higher priesthood.
ANY elder of this church who will labor in the
calling of a teacher and who does it faithfully
viii enjoy the blessing of God, and the spirit of
lrevelation. He VIII not need TO ask, the same
i questions of every family he visits but It will
Ebe manifested to him what he shall ask and
what counsel he shall give 10 each household.
( The saints need the labors of the teachers.
They need 10 be reminded by these officers of
their duties They need to be asked il they are
attendngto their prayers. taking proper care
of their children, and attending to their other
duties. We may reach into the hidden things
and il viii profit us nothing If we GO not live ac
cording to what God has revealed. Some may
think 1t enough il they keep the name of being
a saint. But day OF reckoning IS coming when
the account of each person will be examined
and when ne Will be judged according to his
works.
In 1882 the Lord called upon the church
through President Taylor to set itself in order.
The saints were commanded 10 set their houses
and families in order. How many of us have
done this: How many elders make practice
of gathering their families together and giving
them proper instruction? Young people raised
in the church will he found scattered far and
wide in different parts of the world. Why are
they not among the saints: Have we been
faithful in looking after our youth? Have we
taught them diligently TO keep the Sabbath day
holy: We VIII be held responsible before the
Lord to do this. We should teach our children
to shun Sunday excursions. The season for
these things is approaching and we should warn
our children against them.
There is another subject which has not re-
ceived the attention from the saints that it
should have had. 1t is the redemption of the
cead. 1t is n great work which rests upon the
saints, and they should not be neglectfu respect
ing it. If the members of this church had their
ancestry and kindred back for only a few humid
rcdyears, they would not be able TO do the temple
work Tor all. Our lives are too short. There is
not time enough to do this work in this l;fe but
we should do all we can of it.
The time will come when we shall have at our
conferences, not only one overflow meeting but
many of them, in different buildings. Perhaps
we shall have some in the temple