Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-04-12
DIS COURSE
DELIVERED Br
PRESIDENT MILFORD WOODRUFF
AT THE
General Conferences, he'd in The Tab
erndcIe, SAT- Lake ORy, Sunday
morning, april g, 1890.
[REroRrED by ARTHUR wINrER.I

we enjoy this morning, that 50
many OF us have the privilege of
meeting in this Tabernacle in peace
and quietude to worship God.
want TO say to this large assem-
bly, that the President of the Church,
or his Counselors, or the Twelve
Apostles, or any other man who
swells in the flesh, has no power in
and Of himself to instruct or edify
the Latter-day Saints; he can only
do 50 by the power aud blessings Of
Almighty God. In this respect ]
am rs weak as the least member of
this Church and Kingdom. Weare
all dependent upon the Lord; and !
feel this morning that | stand in
need, not only Of the faith and
prayers Of the Latter-day Saints,
but Of the blessings Of God and the
Holy Spirit to assist IN. to declare
unto the Latter-day Saints the word
CT the Lord.
l will say another thing. The
Saints Of God in every age Of the
world-prophets, apostles and reve-
lators-have been in such a position
that they have had no chance to be
lifted up in the pride of their hearts,
or to boast of their power aud
strength to do the work Eof God
among the children OF men. Every
man who was acquainted with Jo-
seph Smith and those who followed
him, knows full wei that this was
their condition while they dwelt
among us. Joseph Smith was a
humble man. He was one Of the
weak instruments in the hands Of
God. He was raised up in this last
iispensation and fitness of times to
lay the foundation of this great
Church on the earth. He was taught
by the administration of angels from
heaven. He knew full well thnt his
strength lay In God and not in him
self. That is our condition at the
present time. We have no chance
TO be lifted up in the pride Of our
hearts with regard to the position
We occupy. Ii the President Of the
Church or either Of his Couselors or
OF the Apostles, or any other man.
feels in his heart th2t God cannot
do without him, and that he is
especially important in order
to carry on the work of
the Lord, he stands upon slippery
ground. l heard Joseph Smith say
that Oliver Cowdery, who was the
second Apostle in this Church, said
TO him. elf 1 leave this Church it
will fall.'' Said he, "Oliver, YOU
try it." Oliver tried It. He fell;
but the Kingdom Of God did not.
have been acquainted with other
Apostles in my day and time who
felt that the Lord could not do
without them;9 but the Lord got
along with His work without them.
L say to all men Jew and Gentle,
great ami small, rich and poor-that
the Lord Almighty has power with
in Himself, and is not dependent
upon any man. 10 carry on His
work; but when He does call men
to do His work they have TO trust
in Him.
marvel today, in my own mind,
why | stand before you as the Presi-
dent Of the Church Of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints. / have been
associated with some forty Apostles
In my day and time. Twenty-four
Of them-twO quorums--sre today
in the spirit world. There is a
quorum Of young men, many Of
them the sons OF Apostles VINO have
passed away, with us today. Well,
when 1 look at this and see that
am still in the midst Of Israel, and
realize that l have been called 10
this position, marvel at it. But 1t
is the business Of the Lord and not
of man. 1t is not a position that |
have sought. On the other hand,
the eternal truth Of this responsible !
ity stares me in the face. / |
know that / am responsible, I
for the position that / hold today, TO 1
the God OF heaven, who has chosen |
me, as are these apostles before me
and these tens Of thousands Of |
Elders Of Israel who now dwell in /
the flesh on the earth. / attended /
a Priesthood meeting here last |
evening with quite a number OF 4
those bearing the Priesthood. I |
look upon the responsibility of these
people as being very great. We |
have been called upon in this day |
TO receive the Priesthood and to 90 1
forth and preach the Gospel OF Je-
sus Christ 10 this generati0n-to the
Gentiles first, and then to the House
Of Israel. This has been my lot. 1t 1
has been the lot OF these Apostles,
and many, yea thousands, of the
leaders Of the Isatter-day Saints.
We have been called upon to preach
the Gospel of Christ 10 this genera
ton and to warn them of the judg-
ments which are to come.
There has been n great deal said
at this conference. We have had
strong testimonies borne by the
Elders Of Israel who have addressed
us. remarked at the commence
ment of this conference There were
few people here them
our position and revela-
ton. ! remarked that Moses gave
revelations TO Israel. We have the
Bible-the stick Of Judah-cOntain-
ing the law Of God through Moses
and through the aRcient prophets
and patriarchs. 1t has been handed
down TO US through the thousands Of
years that are past and gone. While
libraries, like the library of AIexan-
tria which was destroyed by an
Arab chief and took DAYS and DAYS
10 burn, 1t being one of the largest
ever gathered together in the world)
nave persisted, the Bible has been
preserved unto US, and We have it ,
o read. 1t gives unto us the law of
Tod given TO the ancients. b..
here has been no change in that
aw, so far ~ the gospel is can
,erned, from that day until this.
The Bible-the Old and the New ,
festament-gives unto us the law ,
we may he exalted and 20 ,
Iack again into the presence OF God !
snd dwell with Him for ever and !
,ver. Ii gives unto US the course !
We should pursue in order TO receive !
. part in the first resurrection, that :
We may come forth clothed with :
,lory, immortality aud eternal life. {
I also gives us the history, not only )
{ what is passed with the Jews. but 4
( what is 10 come to pass. Then a
We have the Book Of Mornon-the !
tick Of Joseph in the hands of /
ephraim-that was written upon :
his continent by apostles and !,
rophets. IL contains, among other e
hings, the teachings Of Jesus Christ :
Ihen he appeared, after his resur- =
ection, in his immortal and glori- a
us body, and taught the gospel 3
ere Those revelations contain a 4,
reat many principles. They show q
nto us the final winding-up scene, g
he situation of great Babylon and n
le judgments that were to come to =
ass in the last days before the COM .
~ Of the Son Of Man. We have =
~ the Rnnlr If nn-frsua o,.l r..