Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-05-03
r Z NJ A KS
PRESIDENT GEO. Q. CANNON,
At a General Priesthood meeting
held IN hhe Tabernacle, Soh Lake
City, Saturday euentH9, Apra 5th,
1890.

~ NN~HHNrfoN -
1890.
From Brothers Karl G.. Maeser
AID James +. Talmage we have
heard good repots and excellent
talk concerning cur Church schools.
Certainly, their remarks are very
encouraging, and the success which
has attended the effort 10 establish
these schools is Of the most gratify-
ing character to the General Board
Of Education. We have felt that
God was with US IN this effort, and
that the Latter-day Saints have had
the spirit Of 1t and have met the
expression Of feeling concerning the
movement with hearty responses. l
do not know any theme upon which
we can grow more enthusiastic, II
We would allow our minds to con-
template the future, than this sub.
ject that has been mentioned this
evening-the education Of our chill
dren.
The Latter-day Saints have suf-
fered as no other people, at least in
our generation, have for their re-
ligion. We have forssken all things,
it may be said, in order TO obey the
mandates Of God as revealed in the
principles Of the Gospel. We have
taken Joyfully the spelling Of our
goods, the driving from our homes,
and everything ofthis character, for
the sake Of the Gospel which the
Lord has revealed. Today, Elders
go out for two and three years at n
time, and they spend these years
away from home preaching the Cos
pei, without remuneration Of n pc
cuniary character, and think them
selves exceedingly fortunate if they
are the means Of bringing q few
score OF souls to the knowledge OF
the Truth. This has been the case
for many many years. / have heani
in this Tabernacle, many times, n
you all have doubtless, discourses
delivered by our most accomplished
Elders, full Of the Spirit OF the.
Lord, lncontrovertible in argument,
founded upon the scriptures in such
q manner that no one could dispute
them. Hundreds Of strangers have
been present and heard them; yet
how many Of them have embraced
the Gospel? II there have been
dozen, l do not know them. OflSe
years, our efforts in preaching the
Gospel to the Gentiles have not
been very fruitful OF results. Our
Elders have gone abroad and
preached diligently. They have
encountered great opposition and
have many times submitted TO great
hardships. IL IS reported to US that
some have had TO sleep out o. doors,
because they could find no place in
which 10 lodge. Now, right around
US are thousands upon thousands of
spirits which Lave come pure from
the eternal throne Of our God. They
have come here free from tradition
and ready 20 receive instructions
such as shall be impaired unto
them. suppose that it is not over
stating the matter TO say that there
are within the circle OF our influence
and operations somewhere in the
vicinity of seventy-five thousand
children Of school age. l have not
consulted the reports lately, but in
the Sunday schools we consider that
there are between fry and sixty
thousand children enrolled. Think
OF the immense influence which
sixty thousand children, properly
educated, will have in the earth, IL
We viii furnish them with the IA
cilities that are within our reach.
Why, Ii Is stupendOus, the mere
thought OF so many children being
trained and indOctrinated in our
principles, rs they are in our
schools, and a foundation laid Of
faith in God; then upon that great
foundation n suPerstructure reared
OF an understanding Of the princi-
piles Of the Gospel. and combined |
with that, a knowledge Of science |
as well as Of the ordinary branches !
Ofeducation- Just think Of il, you
Elders who have gone out In !
former days, having been called |
from the pillow, from the anvil, from |
the carpenters bench and from |
other laboriOus occupations. Think |
how you felt when you realized how |
ignorant you were OF those things |
that the world considered necessary.
Now we have these facilities within |
our reach. We have the oppOrtu-
nifty of giving 10 our children this |
instruction, and ii is more valuable |
than all the money that can begiven |
To child. / have asked some my |
children have some ten or twelve |
Of them going 10 the academy here) /
which branch Ofthe study they like
best. Every time | have asked the
question the reply has been, The.
ology. This is very delightful TO
me, TO think that children can have
theology taught them so that they
will take more interest in that than |
in any other branch Of study; for As
theology is ia the world il Is the
most dry, and repulsive, | might
say, study to which application ran
be made. OF course there are ex-
ceptions.
Every five years, a new genera
ton of children is launched, 50 20
speak, into the field. Take a
child from thirteen to eighteen years
Of age and during that period the
character is formed, and you can
give direction TO the mind In such a
manne. that il will influence all
future life liz Is not Necessary tai
dwell upon the strictness with which
Catholics cling TO education. They
comprehend this better, probably,
than any other sect They reoug-
nize the importance OF indoctrinal-
ing their children while they
are young In the prinripleso OF their
religion; for experience has taught
them that when they do this tie
children will not depart from those
You scarcely ever find
a Catholic who becomes an atheist
or an infidel. Ii is Professionalism
that is breeding infidels -Protes-
which denies thePriesthOod
and other true principles, in it,
anxiety to destroy Catholicism and
It's Influence over the minds of it,
The result Is, among
the Protestants atheism nourishes,
while among the Catholics IL can
be found. II is true. in
Catholic countries there is great
in many instances. aud
hey practice many things which
We think are very Irreligious and
TO the principles Of righte-
BUSINESS. Nevertheless, their religion
never loses its hold spon them; they
ling TO il, and before they die they
generally try to make peace with the
,hurch. This is the consequence Of
,arly training.
We should profit by this. There
$ no direction, according TO my
view, land | speak my own views
bout this) in which we can expend
means more judiciously and with