The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-10-05

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ing in the tabernacle. Each confer
ence of the church marks a cycle in its
history and that which began yester-
day was the sixty-sixth half-yearly
gathering Of the church since its or
ganization in New York in 1890.
The aged and patriarchal president
of the church, MILFORD Woodruff, occu-
ps-d his customary place in the pulpit.
The TWO other members OF the
presidency Apostles George @. Can
non and Joseph T. Smith, also occu-
pied their places near the president,
: and nearly all the quorum of apostles
were Oh the stand.
The conference was one OF the larg-
J, est ever held in the history of the
church in Utah. In the morning, ev-
cry seat in the gallery and large audi
forum was taken, ard at the after
noon session the crowd seeking admit
lance was so immense that an over
flov meeting in the assembly hall be-
+ came necessary, and both houses were
packed 20 their full capacity. In the
evening, the members Of the Sunday
School union Of the state assembled in
the tabernacle and held their usual
SeIns-annual conference.
After the usual preliminaries Of sing
ing and prayer, President Woodruff,
following an old-time precedent,
formally opened the conference by de-
livering the first sermon, an effort
which was remarkable in one SO aged
for It's vigor and strength.
4 President Woodruff began by eX-
pressing his gratitude to God at being
spared 10 attend another conference OF
the Lords people. The Saints are liv-
ing he said, in the midst of porten-
tious times. All the great events that
have happened in the progress OF Coo s
work have been in fulfllment OF d.
vine plan Christ was crucified by ms
own people, in order that the sayings
n of the prophets might be faithful Yet
wtjle the needs of human kind made
ii necessary for Jesus TO suffer DEATH
Ihe people OF the world have not yet
seen the consequences of that deed
: Eighteen hundred years have not blot
ted it out. The blood of holy men must
be atoned for. The people who killed
The Prophet Joseph Smith have olre
debt to pay. They have not, as the
shedGers of Christ's blood had,
eighteen hundred years to atone for
what they did. The end of all things
is nov close at hand, and Christ VIII
soon come in the clouds Of heaven TO
wreak vengeance on the evildoers
Nothing can prevent the fulfilment
of Gods prophecies through MS
anointed.
II car see now continued President
Woodruff. 'the fulhlment OF many
nronhecies. Gods judgments are al
ready being poured out in the world
do not know whether / shall I'VE TO see
,nany. more Of his words veTlheo or nov.
Z want the Ilatter-day Saints 10 look
out for these things, for the oeglnnlns
IF the end is here, and the consu1iilild-
5ion Of all things is at the doors.
Iosenh Smith, by divine authority,
.s,re es97dowments to the priesthood not
Ions, before his martyrdom. YOU ne
said will have to carry on the work
of God. If you do not, you VIA De
y f7ananedr, He spoke by inspiration ana
Inv the priesthood of the living God
Gods kingdom is established, and
the harvest is now almost ripe. the
only true gospel is among the Lat
a,.-dav Saints. for there is only one
eosnel We have the graces. powers
md priesthood which belong TO the
true church The people have great
RESPONSIBILITIES. Time hastens and we
are bordering upon the millennium.
and then all people win be judged. We
cannot look back after having put
out hand upon the pillow. Let the
Saints be true and faithful and do all
things that God requires at our LANDS.
He has led and guided and blessed the
,,eoule and he expects our fealty in
return. He brought one of his great
r,roohets to this land once sterile and
rorhiddjag. He has upheld the Saints
III order that all his purposes might
be ACCOMPLISHED
MANY foundations surrounded the
neonIe. Not even Christ escaped temp
fation. Prophecies are being fulfilled
daily. and this is no time to be lax
Il, 4fe performance of duty. When men
+ see earthquakes, cyclones and commo-
tions in the earth, they should not be
surprised for all this has been pre-
dicted by holy men of old
PRESIDENT SMITH.
President Joseph T. Smith. who was
The next speaker, began by saying
that he had been deeply interested ii
fhe testimony OF President Woodruff
now near his niretieth year We have
ample evidence, he said, that God has
blessed him.
n is always. he continued. gratifying
"a hear from one who was associated
with Joseph Smith. Very few remain
who have heard the prophets teach
jngs. It is great privilege TO the au-
Gience to hear Z. servant of God testify
10 the words of him who was raised
11p as the founder of Gods work. II is
hard to say how long God viii spare
the president, but the prayers of Is
rael will he that God may preserve hin
to instruct US at yet many conferences
President Woodruff in his sermon
This morning. gave his testimony OF the
truth We cannot escape that testi-
nony. but ii viii rise I'D in the enc
again to Judge US. He says that the
work of God established by JOSEPH
Smith has been preserved in this
church. in spite of many false leader:
who have arisen.
All pretentions of people who stand
at the head % various forms of re-
,ligion are of no avail without the au
1hority of God. They have no righ
to build UP Zion and administer il
the ordinances OF the house of tn,
Lord. This authority distinguishes tn,
true church from the false ones.
There are many among US who ar,
true Latter-day Saints; Others ar
merely Mormons. and even among thi
class there are many degrees. Nam
who are commonly called MormonS d,
not believe in the gospel. There ar
many in the church who think thei
opinion is as good as that of the presi
deucv of the church. IF this spifi
continues said President Smith
s.an1en to the authority of God, SO IA
as such people are concerned. I wcs,ls
. to God that I had the tongue of al
angel in order that 1 might proclaim
what believe upon this subject to III
people I realize that MILFORD Wood
ruff is the Amounted of God. and
honor his authority. / would not b
justified if I did not uphold him in hi
high position The man is foolish VIII
fnagines that God will recognize hir
If he does not recognize the annointel
& of God. I know that this is God
work and that we can administer til
Lords ordinances. / feel it in M
heart. / feel therefore, that ] mus
humble myself and bow to Gods al