The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-08


that he was 'ithe Christ, the son of the
living God" Upon this spirit and
power of revelation Christ had built
his church, as he declared unto Peter.
AS this spirit of revelation and teSti-
nlony was again restored to earth and
the elders and messengers of God were
sent abroad to all the world, to call
all men to repentance, condemnation
would follow the rejection of this tes-
timony and the light Of the gospel.
The only way to retain the spirit oE
God in our hearts was to seek it by
faith and prayer and live for it by
keeping in harmony with the right
eouSness of God. The spirit of the
Lord and the testimony of Jesus
would be denied to no man who seeks
for it and would make himself worthy
TO receive it.
Love, unity. humility and harmony
were earnestly enjoined upon the peo-
pie of God. Members of all quorums,
societies and organizations should
learn to love one another, and act in
unison and harmony in all things.
The speaker referred to the success
full colonization of the Saints in Mex
leo. That government had been and
was very kind to the Mormon people,
and had fostered and protected their
interests, and God was blessing the
nation in return. In the vicinity Of
our Mexican settlements, were thous-
ands of the seed of Israel-the Lamar
ties, and the day was not far off
when they would become identified
with the work of the Lord.
Elder Edward Stephenson was the
next speaker. The Church Of Jesus
Christ of Laltter-day Saints was or
ganiZed by revelation from heaven.
Neither Joseph Smith nor any other
man could have established this work
without divine revelation. The speaker
gave a brief outline of the early his
tory of the church and related the in
cfdents which led to the discovery of
the plates from which the Book of
Mormon was translated; also the early
visions of the Prophet Joseph Smith.
The great latter-day dispensation Of
the gospel, uShered in by the Prophet
Joseph Smith, he said, embraces the
gathering of the Jews and Israel from
all lands to the home of their fore
fathers in Palestine. AS preparation
to this work, at an early day in the
history of this church, the late Apos-
tie Orson Hyde was called and went
anew for the gathering of Gods
chosen people, and by the power of the
priesthood he blessed the land, that
1T should become fruitful and produc-
tive, and a fit abode for a numerous
people, The Jews would continue to
gather to that land until Christ would
come, when they would be converted
to him.
Apostle Abraham H. Cannon said he
deplored the evils of this fast century.
There was safety in the old methods.
Evils existed in modern society which
were almost unknown a century or
two ago. Easy divorce was a prom
inent evil that was growing TO an
alarming extent, and it had the ten
dency to bring disrespect upon mar
riage. Divorces were becoming so fire.
quent in the west that it was becoming
noted as the land of experimental
The evils that would fol-
low such practices, with their accom-
panying sins, would be to the dIsln-
tegration of society.
AS a people, the Latter-day Saints
should set their hearts against these
evils. and establish the respect for
marriage that is due to that holy in
stitution.
The speaker urged that the young
people of the church should marry in
their own faith, if they hoped for hap
piness. The continuity of happiness
in the marriage state depended upon
harmony and unity of
interests. 1t were better not to marry
at all than marry where opposing in
terests existed. Honorable marriage
should be encouraged, as it promoted
the future prosperity and greatness of
our people and the nation, and was a
safeguard against many OF the evils
which menaced society.
Peace, be STILL" was sung by the
choir. and the conference adjourned
for six months Benediction was pro
nounced by Elder William Eddington.