The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-10-28
At the Tabernacle.

The Y. NJ. NJ. L A conference was
held in the Tabernacle yesterday, De
ginning with a meeting at 10 O'Clock
and ending with services in the even
ing at T. Joseph Felt, president of the
stake associations. conducted the ser
vices, and most of the other prominent
Improvement society leaders were on
the stand.
A. S. Geddes, who was the first
speaker, said he was pleased to speak
( in the interest of mutual Improvement
In rejecting on why we are here, it
| brings up the remembrance of our first
homes, and our early schooling in the
world. Latter-day Saints while in the
world were taught religion after the
notions now prevalent on spiritual
subjects. That religion, therefore, we
already understood when we had at
tanned manhood.
Perhaps at one time we heard some
one talking to a crowd on the Gtreets-
a Mormon elder. AT his word all
thoughts of ridicule, of contempt, died
away, and we were thrilled with the
divine fervor. Then we learn that the
fullness of the new light-the eternal
gospel-has been revealed again to
men; that the dogmas in which we
have hung our faith are erroneous and
false; that Gods kingdom is about to
be organized in the glory of it's divine
power.
What was it that made this deep
impression? 1t was the revelation of
God, the divine light piercing into our
souls. No power but this could have
enabled us to say farewell to weeping
mothers, gray haired fathers and low
ing relatives, and to part from the
shores of our native land forever. This
testimony of truth received in a far
off land, abtded with the Saints in the
trials Of the wilderness andt he horrors
perpetrated by bloodthirsty and relent-
less mobs. This blessing of knowledge
was our guide constantly.
The question IS OFTEN asked, how is
it some understand the truth and the
! Majority remain in darkness? Latter
day Saints believe thae this was largely
the result of conditions that prevailed
before we came here, and that our
course in the spirit would largely
shape our course here. AS there are
upright spirits and unruly spirits here,
SO are there upright and unruly spir-
its there. Those whose lives were pur-
est in the other world were given the
greatest privileges in this. They were
given the blessing of being born OF
godly parents, who could school them
in the precepts of truth.
These children, therefore, have the
right to be reared under the influence
of the truth. God has provided for
their education and progression. There
are the primary associations, the Sun
day schools and the mutual Improve
ment society. Those who are placed
in these religious seminaries as teach
ers are divinely called and have
most important role to fill. Our first
duty is to care for these spirits. Our
duty is to teach them that for which
we have sacrificed so much; to mould
and strengthen the characters of tbs
young in Israel. knowledge of what
ever kind will increase their faith
They should know of the wonders OF
nature, the action of the stellar worlds
and in seeing in all this the divine
hand, their faith will become stead
fast and unassailable.
President Joseph T. Smith said the
! mutual Improvement work is of ines.
timable Importance to the children. anG
should be of vast interest to parents
He read an extended quotation from
the Doctrine and Covenants, reiatins
to the duties of parents In children
Parents, he continued, should t'a:t
their offspring obediel.ne {: themselves
and to the moral laws revealed by
the Father. There is no one who does
not hope his children will become az
upright, intelligent and honorable as
himself In order that this may be
children must be schooled in righteous
precepts, then they will rise up ard cal
their fathers blessed 1t should be
made their aim to grow in wisdom
to progress in spiritual affairs.
! The changes the Latter-day Saints
have made from former conditions are
not in the nature of a sacrifice on the
part Of those who made the change
What the Saints abandoned was error
and darkness, and not the light OF
truth: The people deserted their ole
habitations. but they formed instead
more beautiful and more blessed
structure. The children, therefore
should not think we made any sacri
fee in obeying tthe Gospel. Salvation is
more blessed than earthly possessions
The light of truth and virtue should
be instflled in the hearts Of the chill