The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-10-15


ing the hymn. what Mondrous
Scenes Mine Eyes Behold" after
which Elder S. w. Richards offered
prayer.
Elder S. F. Mcdonald said he was
thankful for the testimony ne had re-
ceived from God and was glad to say
that God had revealed to the people of
this dispensation the knowledge of the
true and living church, as was preach
ed by Jesus in his prayer upon the
earth 1t is not the work of man, but
of God, and every philosopher, student
or Christian. who thinks earnestly up
on that subject can in his heart not
do otherwise than to endorse that
truth. In the early days of the speak
er's life all men were taught to believe
in the literal existence of a heaven
and he'll: and the idea that men were
doomed to suffer forever the pain and
anguish of a burning lake of fire and
birthstone was so revolving that in
stead of growing more fervent in the
study of God, as laid down by the laws
of those churches, men grew skeptical
and became unbelievers. Since then
mn64 speaker had read the testimonies
the Prophet Joseph Smith and 9TH
IS of this church relating to the res
urFectlOQ ana hereafter, duu lie HeSl-
tates not in saying that his heart had
been opened to a new understanding.
BY faith, repentance and baptism,
whereby we may receive the or
dinance for the remission of sins,
and by the laying on Of hands for the
reception of the Holy Ghost. we are
sure that the spirit of God will open up
the way for eternal salvation: will
clear away all mysteries concerning the
hereafter and be with US by day and by
night making us happy and joyous as
he has never before done.
The majority Of the people of this
land (the Latter-day Saints included
dive most unwisely in the wild rush for
wealth. Avarice stretches its hand toe
often over the hearts of men, making
their lives miserable to themselves as
well as others, and as a result they
lead lives contrary to the laws Of men
and God and are rarely happy.
The labors of the speaker were con-
fined to the republic of Mexico, and he
found in that land that the Latter-day
Saints are highly respected. The re-
marks We're concluded with a promise
as uttered by the Lord God, that il
men Were pure and holy, hv-
ing lives of sanctity and sin.
certify before his eyes, they should
receive the reward of eternal
salvation.
Elder David H Cannon remembered
distinctly when the number of Saints
in this valley did not exceed more thar
a. mere handful Of people and expressed
his JOY in being able to look upon the
congregation before him as but a .merS
handful of Saints compared to the
mighty numbers which now abide in The
beautiful Zion. Many of the Saints to.
day forget the object which their
fathers had in their hearts, in coming
to this land. The passion for accumu-
t. ;,,i,7 ctla
the minds of men and it is fact tc
be deplored.
After giving his testimony that the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints was the true church Of God, the
speaker concluded his remarks by ask
ing God to continue to bless the people
President George Q. Cannon then oc.
cunied the stand. He said that wher
the Saints of God assemble for the
purpose of holy cogmunion, as we
have done this afternoon, we receive
the privilege of believing the testi'
monies rendered tofus, if we exercise
great faith in God.
AS an elder of thu Church of Jesus
- Christ, L have never felt satisfied il
attending meetings unless the remarks
of the speaker have benefited me
When a man speals by the spirit OF
God he not only benefits his hearers
but he himself is benefited beyond his
most sanguine hopes. and in that way
the meetings so Conducted, with the
faith of all listeners, remain in one:
memory for considerable length OF
time They bring comfort and joy tc
/ the hearts of all, and espec-
tally TO the hearts of the dis
tressed and u elancholy. The Lat
ter-day Saints, above all others
need the comfort Of the spirit of Got
and q. true Latter-day Saint will de
= pend upon that spirit for comfort anC
happiness. 1t is a,lamentable fact tina
too many of the people Of the eartl
- mistake true happiness and depend al
most wholly upon the enjoyments o
Spcial pleasures Of stimulants and al
Aids Of earthly enjoyments that liz
IN reach of their unhappy souls.
According to our religion, a man VIII
depends Tor happiness on externa
pleasures such as stimulants games
the use of tobacco etc, is not tru
and happy man. Therefore we enter
tanning the views of life as we do
should be earnest in our search TO
happiness far removed from the so
called joy of the man Of the world. w
need the outpouring of the spirit o
God upon us; we need to have GU
souls refreshed end revived to under
stand and appreciate the value Of pur
happiness, and if this be necessary. W,
can do no less than live worthy of re
ceiving the spirit Of God as a mean
of being happy and lfght-hearted
In truth, 1 believe there ar
no people existing who are s,
happy as the Latter-day Saints
and for this reason l firmly be
lieye the men of other lands, VISITING
us. are moved in saying that this
the most beautiful land they have eve
seen.
Many of the people of the worl
seem depending upon the surrounding
circumstances for pleasure, and for
time great pleasure can be derives
from this view. but without the feeling
of sympathE Of love and honesty. ther
can be no enduring happiness. In III
midst Of poverty adversely and attic
ton, man endowed with faith in hi
Cod can be happy. and sometimes
far happier than the respected man 0
finance.
In the early days. although destitut
OF comforts, the Latter-day Saints wer
a happy people and the secret of thei
hsnpiness lies in the single word. God
r7>and so in the midst of trying scene
and adverse circumstances man nee
not bow his head in humility and de
spair; no man heed be melanchol
and gloomy on that account
Let him lift his head bold
before the eyes o. men. and proudl
proclaim that he is happy yet, for Co
is with him.
Every persons duty in this churcl
&c to seek for enjoyment and Measure
derived from the spirit of God. Il
This way each one can be happy. indie
pendent of all other human beings
each should seek earnestly to receiv
a testimony that this is the true an,
living church.
4.