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

President George Q. Cannon preached
the first sermon. He said, in opening,
that the vast congregation had come to
be fed with the bread Of life and an
elder would feel appalled, in address
ing them without the assurance of
Gods help.
The hymn just sang, 30, My Father"
is an Inspiration. God has beneficent-
ly revealed the relationship between
US and him and has made plain the
reason of man being placed on the
earth. In this respect the Latter-day
Saints have the advantage over Chris
tendon, who believe not in revelation.
While Christian teachers are cropping
in the dark as 10 mans mission here,
the Latter-day Saints have a knowl-
edge concerning their origin and mis-
sion. They do not believe they have
been evolved from some lower order
and they do not believe they came by
chance. 1t is a glorious thing to have
the darkness of the past swept away
and the rays of divine truth shine upon
subjects formerly misunderstood.
God has revealed with plainness very
many truths of which the world knows
nothing. Forty years has been spent
in establishing and contesting the OAR
winian theory It has disturbed the
whole religious world and has made
shipwreck Of their faith. Il has thrown
doubt on the biblical account of the
creation and destroyed belief in the
holy scriptures. This is a lamentable
condition of affairs. Most of the learned
ministers, in fact, look upon the Mo-
sale account of mans origin as not
fact but q myth They give it no more
credence than the Greek mythology or
the traditions of barbarious tribes. Ii
is now claimed by the wise men of the
world that the earth was in existence
long prior to the time indicated by the
biblical account. They also affect TO
prove that man descended from bar
barious tribes and that his origin is
antique far beyond what we have for
merly believed.
The Latter-day Saints have no such
doubts and problems to contend with.
God has revealed to US the truth. We
have two books which are luminous
with divine truth upon these subjects,
one of which was translated by wise
men and the. other by a prophet of
God. The Laiter-day Saints are ex-
/ tremely happy in having these indis-
putable evidences. God has revealed to
the church that we are the children Of
God. made in his image; that we have
/ God-like powers and God-like attrib-
/ utes. We claim our parentage from
/ God in the same way that children
claim earthly parents. Man, accord
ing TO the revelations received, is in a
fallen condition. Originally, however
man stood in the presence of his Maker
ard the Maker recognized him as his
son.
But there is another influence al
work. Satan is abroad among the PEG
pie, seeking to destroy where the Lord
would build.
The Latter-day Saints should hold to
/ truth as a. thing beyond price They
should appreciate it the more because
Of the false philosophy which is propa-
! gated in our highest educational insti.
tutions The aim OF teachers is tc
make men believe in the great antiquity
of the earth and the Darwinian the
CRY OF mans origin. The Latter-day
Saints are the custodians of great truth
on this subject and they have a grea-
mission TO perform in consequence. We
| have seen theory after theory, adopted
| in the scientific and religious world
| exploded by new light which has com.
to us. 1t is more pleasant to believe
that man is a son Of God and can fol
low the attributes he exhibits.
Too much attention, continued Pres
i6ent Cannon, cannot be given to tn
counsel of the priesthood. We ough
to praise the Lord always for givin
US inspired men as teachers. TIL
priesthood do not ask the people |
reverence them. The president of tn
church is humble and unassumin
man. This is the case. more or less a
least, with the rest. The authorize
do not wish to exercise undue influenc
over the people. We ask the people t
be obedient, SO that in honoring tn
priesthood they may honor God.
In no other organization in the worl
can you find men more Independent
and firm than the leaders of tn
church. They are men who will no
bow lightly to the behes'ts of others
they are men who would make an
sacrifice for principle. 1t is not, tller
a lack CT independence that makes tn
authorities submissive and humble.
When I bow" he continued, st
Presidens Woodruff, / bow to God an
not to man. l have never in all m