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

! President MILFORD Woodruff presid-
ing.
There were on the stand: OF the
First Presidency, wiiford Wood
ruff and George q. Cannon; Of the
Council Of the Twelve Apostles:
Lorenzo Snow, franklin d.
Richards, Moses Thatcher, Fran
els NJ. Lyman, John Henry
Smith, Heller J. Grant, John w.
Taylor, Mariner w. Merrill, Anton
II. Lund and Aoiahani II. Cannon;
Of Counselors to the Twelve: John
w. Young and Daniel II. Wells;
Patriarch, John Smith; Of the
Presiding Council Of the Seven
ties, Henry HERMAN, Jacob Gates,
Seymour b. Young, John Morgan
and Is. II. Roberts, Of the Presiding
Bishoprie: William b. Preston,
r. T. Burton and John r. winder.
There We're also present a large
number Of Presidents Of Stakes and
other prominent brethren from vari-
Gus parts Of Utah and surrounding
States and Territories.
The choir sang:
cav a mighty angel dy.
To earth he bent IN. way;
A message bearing from on high.
To cheer the sons CT day.
The opening prayer was offered
by Apostle Franklin ID. Richards.
Singing:
Come listen to 4 Prophets voice,
And hear the word OF God;
And in the way Of truth rejoice,
And sing for 10y aloud.
President wiIford Woodruff
said: Sixty years ago last Sabbath
this Church Of Jesus Christ of Lat
ter-day Saints was organized in Fay
cite, Seneca County, New York. 1t
was organized by the Prophet Of
God, Joseph Smith. II was organ
lied by the commandments OF God,
by the revelations Of Jesus Christ.
Its history isibefore the world, the
heavens and the earth; and | feel
myself that our hearts should be
filed this morning with gratitude
and Thanksgiving that We have the
privilege again Of meeting in an
Annual Conference Of the Church
Of Jesus Christ Of Latter
day Saints. / hope and trust that
the hearts Of the Saints will he lifted
up in prayer 10 God that during the
time we shall spend together In this
capacity the spirit and power Of God
may rest upon the Apostles and FL
ders who will address US, and upon
| the Saints themselves who may
hear.
/ feel very thankful myself that |
still have the privilege Of meeting in
| general Conference with the SAINTS
of God. realize that we are weak
instruments in the hand Of God who
are called to perform this work. The
Lord has chosen the weak things
Of the world from the foundation OF
the earth, to perform His work in
every age and generation Of men.
] pray that the Apostles and Elders
Of Israel may be clothed upon with
the spirit and power OF God while
they address the Latter-day Saints.
We want to bear in mind that our
strength, our hope and our power Is
in the hands Of God and not In
men. The lord Himself has
stretched forth His hand to estab-
lish this Church, His Kingdom,
His Work, His Zion, the gathering
together o. His people in fulfilment
Of the revelations Of God which
have been given to the inhabitants
Of the earth since the fOunda-
ton Of the world, since the day
the old Patriarch, Father Adam,
WAS brought forth and placed in the
garlen Of Eden. From that day I'M
I'll now His work has been perform
ed by the inspiration Of Almighty
God, and not by the power Of man.
The very things in our history that
we have been called to pass through,
the scenes which have been enacted
have shown and they show today tc
all heaven and earth, in the war
fare, in the opposition, in the labor
that are manifested amOug the sons
of men-from the creation OF the
world till tOday-tlat this is the
work Of God. The various persecu-
tons, the efforts which have been
manifested against the organization
of this Church and kingdom for
its overthrow and destruction
should show-and have shown to
heaven and earth-that there is a
power on earth outside the power
Of man.
We have no power in ourselves.
We never have had in the guidance
and direction Of this kingdom only
through the interpositiOn Of Al
mighty God. Joseph Smith himself
was administered with in a way and
manner that have found no record
Of. l have never read anywhere,
that l know Of, Of Ike same power
manifested In any dispensation TO
the children OF men which was
manifested to the Prophet Of God in
the organization Of this Church
when the Father and the Son both
Appeared to the Prophet Joseph in
answer 10 his prayer, and when the
Father said, "This Is My beloved
Son; behold Him; hear ye Him"
This was an important revelation
which has never been manifested
in the same manner in any dispen-
sation Of the world, that God has
given concerning His work.
So In its organization the
Prophet Of God was admin
istered to by the angels Of heaven.
They were his teachers, they We're
his instructors, an all that he did,
all that he REFORMED from the COM
mencemeni, from that day 10 the
day of his martyrdOm, was by the
revelation Of Jesus Christ. We
ought TO understand this, and as a
people have faith in God, in His
revelations, in His pforrise.. We
should look forth for the fultilmeht
Of these promises unto us in the day
and generation in which we live.
They will be fulfilled. The Lord is
at work. He has set His hand 10
accomplish the great dispensation
Of which all the patriarchs
and Prophets have spoken since the
world began. Therefore let not your
hearts be troubled believe in God,
believe in Jesus Christ believe In |
the gospel which has been preached |
unto us, and keep and fulfil the |
commandments of God; then all |
will be right. The Lord will not |
fail the LAtter-day Saints; He will |
not fail IN His work, In the gather
ing Of His people; He will not fail
the seed Of Abraham; He will not |
fail the seed Of Judah. They viii
be gathered home TO Jerusalem,
their holy place. They will receive
their city and Temple, and be pre-
pared for the coming of their King.
Zion will arise md prosper. III |