Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-12-15
umont to President Young and Pioneers.
ELDER HEBER J. GRANT.
[RRPoRrED ny ARTHUR wtsrrRl

My heart Is full Of gratitude to my
Heavenly Father for the privilege that /
have enjoyed at being present at this
conference, and | am grateful indeed for
the teachings which have been given to
us. do pray with all the cirucsncss
Of my heart that every soul that has
listened to the advice and counsel which
have been given during this conference
may seek TO God Tor the aid and assist.
ance Of His Holy Spirit, that they may
be enabled to carry out in their lives the
words OF God that have been delivered
TO us here today. | confess to you, my
friends aud fellow.laborers in the cause
OF God, that have been Inundated be.
yond expression to so to one Of the
Stakes Of Zion, to stand up aud preach
TO the people aud call upon them to
obey the Word OF Wisdom, and then to
sit down to the table OF President Of a
Stake, after having preached with all
the zeal, energy and power that pos.
sessed, calling upon the people to keep
the commandments OF God, aud to have
his wife ask me II | would like a cup OF
tea or a cup Of coffee. have felt In
my heart that II was an insult, consider
ing the words that had spoken, and
have felt Inundated to think that had
not sufficient power, and enough Of the
Spirit Of God TO enable me to utter
words that would penetrate the heart
OF a President Of a Stake, that he at least
would be willing to carry out the adj.
vice which ! had given. ! remember
going to o Stake OF Zion but a short
time ago and preaching with all the
energy ! possessed aud with all the
Spirit that God would give me upon the
necessity Of retaining from the drinking
OF tea and coffee, and | heard also at
that conference a very eloquent appeal
TO the Latter-day Saints by man who,
/ understood, was president Of n
quorum Of Seventy. But when we
came to take our meal, he iokingly said
that he could not do without his tea and
coffee, and he proposed to have II and
suffer the consequences. | remember
going to another Stake Of Zion and
preaching to the people on the neces-
sity Of retaining from tea and coffee
and giving some figures upon the vast
ing OF the peoples means; and the
president Of the Stake remarked, after
got through. that he thought the Lord
would forgive them II they did drinl;
their coffee, because the water In that
Stake OF Zion was very bad. did not
say anything, but thought good deal.
and had to pray TO the Lord and 10
bite my tongue to keep from getting up
and doing something that | never have
done in my life, and that is. to pick out
man aud thrash him from the public
stand. felt that God owed me a bless
ing for not publicly rcpIoving that man,
because wanted to do II so badly.
Now, had made up my mind before
came to this conference that would
not open my mouth upon the Word Of
Wisdom. / have become so discour.
aged so disheartened, so Inundated in
my feelings, after preaching year after
year both by precept and example, &c
realize that there are Bishops, Bishops
Counselors, President OF Stakes, and
Patriafchs among the Church OF God
whose hearts I have not been able tC
touch, that had about made up my
mind that | would never again say
Word OF Wisdom to the Latter-dal
Saints. felt that It was like pouring
water on n ducks back. II had seemeC
20 me as II could not get sufficient o
the Spirit Of God to penetrate the heart
OF the Latter.day Saints. But ate
listening to the remarks that have beer
made here, feel to rejoice and thanl
God for what has been said; and fee
that my labors are approved OF Coo
among the people, whether they lister
TO what say OF not. We seem to &c
into ruts as \ people, and we justify our
selves in doing that which Is not pleas
ing in the sight OF God. A man VIII
does notpay his tithing make excuses TO
not doing H. A man who does not keel
tine Word OF Wisdom makes excuse
Tor not doing that. want to say tina
there is not q man or woman anon
all the Latterday Saints but who coull
keep the Word of Wisdom II they 80
down on their knees, as Brother Teas
dale has advised, aud pray to God 70
help. The Lord has said that thes
words OF wisdom are adapted to th
weakest OF the weak among the latl ei
day Saints, and have not only felt bn
said within the last week or two, to III
Presidency OF the Church, that was o
hand to make the motion to call upon Gel
tain individuals holding high and respoI
sihle positions In this Church to resig
their offices or keep the commandment
ofGod. endorse with all my heart r,
mark made here yesterday by Preslder
Joseph Il. Smith that II a man is stant