Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-10-19

| lie.
have sat and listened to every Apps.
tie that IS before me now bear record
during this conference. Did not these
Apostles speak by the Hoy Ghost and
the power OF Godi They did. and their
testimony is recorded In the great library
OF the celestial gingdom OF God. They
could not ediiy us without II. ] would
to God that the inhabitants Of the earth
would get rid Of the idea that revelation
ceased when Cdrist was put to death
II is a false doctrine. Revelation be.
longs to the salvation ol the children OF
| men.
Again, why did the Lord choose such
a weak man as MILFORD Woodruff to pre-
side over his Church, Why did He
choose Joseph Smith-an illiterate boy,a
he was calledl Why has lie chosen
that class OF mem Because lie could
handle them. lie has chosen men that
will acknowledge the hand OF God. The
question has been asked me many times,
Why did not the Lord choose some OF
the great divines OF the day. Because
u u not His manner Of doing business;
II never has been. You may take the
| apostles and prophets In any age Of the
world, and they have been very humble
a
ton, or the Lord could not l.andlc them.
That IS the reason the Lord has chosen
the weak things OF the world toronlound
the wise, 'and things which are not, To
| bring to nought things that are" Could
Joseph Smith rise up and boast before
the God OF Israel that that was his
work. Could Brigham Youngp Could
! John Taylor Can Wiliord Woodruff
Can any OF these Apostles, Taken as
we have been from the pillow, the plane,
the hammer, and the various occupations
OF lie, can we boast we have power to
do thisi We cannot, we arc not made
OF that material. The only marvel
have had all my life has been that the
Lord ever chose me Tor anything, es.
peeially as an Apostle and as President.
But that Is His own business; II was not
mine.
My name has been referred to two or
three times by the Apostles with regard
TO my labors. ! want to say something
IN relation to that To begin with.
will say that the Lord has never set His
hand In any age OF the world. especially
IN ours, to establish a Zion ike this,
without preparing an element for Il. In
TACT, the Lord never undertook to do
anything with regard to this world, APP
pertaining to His kingdom aud work,
until lie had prepared people for IT,
Now, the set time had come for the iul
iillment OF the revelations Of ST, John,
when another angel should ily through
the midst OF heaven, having the ever
lasting Gospel 10 preach to them that
dweit upon the earth, Saying with q
loud voice, fear God, and give glory to
Him; Tor the hour OF His judgment Is
come" TIE time, say. had come for
the manifestation OF the Gospel of Christ
to the world. The Apostles OF Christ
and every man that bore the Priesthood
in their day and generation were put to
death for the word OF God and testimony
OF Jesus, and the Holy Priesthood was
caught up to God, and .emained there
until the day and generation IN which
Joseph Smith was raised up. He was
ordained to the Aaronie Priesthood by
John the Baptist, who held the keys OF
thar Priesthood while dwelling Ia the
flesh. lie was ordained to tie Apostle
ship by Peter James and John, who
held the KEYS OF that Priesthood when
they were taken from the earth. That
was the beginning OF this work. The
Lord could not undertake work Of
this kind without there was a way aud a
people prepared Tor IL. In the first
place, the Lord prepared the minds OF
men OF the generation in which Joseph
smith was ! orn, that they might be
ready to receive ! ~ work when II was
established There were men tina, were
kept In the spirit world thousands OF
years to stand IN the flesh In this genera
ton to bear this Holy Priesthood and TO
bear record of that to the inhabitants OF
the earth. Those men have been born
IN this day. and they have been moved
upon TO prepare Tor this work.
Now, | desire TO say something about
myself. 1t Is generally considered egot.
ism for a man 10 speak OF himself; but
speak OF my history and experience be-
cause II is applicable 10 thousands OF
others. eighty years ago, when was
ABOUT eight years old, | attended Sab
bath school under DIR. Porter, great
reverend divine IN Pennington, Con-
necticut. There read come strange
things in the New Testament. What
were theyp Why, read oil Apostles; 1
read OF men who LAID hands on the sick.
and they recovered, who cast out devils,
raised the dead, caused the dumb 10
speak, the blind TO see, the lame to leap,
who held converse with God and with
holy angels, and had visions and reye.
lstions Brethren and sisters, read OF
these things wnen was eight ye-rs OF
age. Tney m,de IN impression upon
my mind as soon as read them 'Nhy
is II, DR.. Porter,-why Is II, DR.. Haws,-
why Is II, gentlemen, that you do not
advocate In your day and generation
that faith once delivered to the Saintsl
Why don't you receive these ,hings, II
thew were the servants of God a1d had
the Gospel" "Ohl" said they, these
things are ala done away with. They
were given in the dark ages Of The
world 10 convince the world that Iesus
was the Christ. We live In the blaze of
the glorious gospel light OF Christ; we
do not need them today" Then"
said /, give me the dark ages Of the
world. II they will give a man power TO
unlock the door OF eternity and hold
converse with God, and receive these
blessings and gifts manifest in that day."
From that time my inspiration began.
AS soon as ! grew little older began
to read the revelations. My soul was
drawn out upon these things. In nv
early manhood prayed day aud night
that | might live to see a prophet
would have gone a thousand miles 10
have seen prophet, or a man that could
teach me the things that read Of In
the Bible. could not Join any church.
because ] could not find any church at
that lime that advocated these principles.
spent many midnight hour, by tho