The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-07

The sixty-sixth annual conference of
day Saints closed yesterday, two ses-
sions being held at the tabernacle.
Services at the morning session COM
menced with the singing of the hymn:
THE time is far spent, there is little
remaining"
Elder ]. D. H McAllister offered
prayer, and the choir sang the hymn:
Prayer is the souls sincere desire
STATISTICAL REPORTS.
Apostle Heber ]. Grant then read
the following statistical reports:
A statistical report of the church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
Statistical and financial report of the
National Woman's Relief society for
the year ending December 81, 1895.
Besides other information it showed an
enrolment of 2S,943, and that 500
branches had been organized in the
state; receipts of various kinds of pro-
perty, including amount on hand at
the beginning of the year, S36, 80; ex-
pended during the year, S1S,417. The
report bears the signatures of Zina D.
II. Young, president; Jane S. Richards,
Bathsheba w. Smith and Sarah NJ
Kimball, vice-presidents; Emmeline B.
Wells, secretary, and Isabella H.
Horne, treasurer.
Annual report of the Young Ladies'
National Mutual Improvement asso-
citation of Zion, from January 1, 1895,
to January 1. 1896. 1t exhibited as fol-
lows: Number as associations, 4O6;
cash on hand and received, 1886; pro-
perty, $4,539; balance of cash, 1869;
property, SS,SS2; increase in member
ship, 221; in average attendance, SAL.
Signed by Elmina S. Taylor, presi-
dent, Maria Y. Dougal and Martha H.
Tingey, counselors, Ann NJ. Cannon,
secretary and treasurer.
Of the Primary associations of the
church,:
Six of the stakes not reported Num-
Der of associations, 4S7; officers and
members, S2,349; average attendance,
1888; meetings, with miscellaneous
exercises, 1883; donations to charita-
Bile purposes, $576; to missionaries, $4S.
Signed by Louie B. Felt, president;
Lille 7. Freeze, counselor; May Ander-
son, secretary, and nine aids to the
gen eral board.
APOSTLE JOHN HENRY SMITH
Apostle John Henry Smith was the
first speaker. He referred to theserec-
ton of the Pioneer monument, stating
that the statue of Brigham Young had
been placed upon a temporary pedes-
tai for protection from the deprada-
tons of relic hunters. The perma-
nent monument would be SO elaborate
as to be well worth the amount it
would cost when completed. He urged
greater zeal in laboring toward its
completion. The speaker also stated
the desire of the authorities that home
publications should be more liberally
patronized. They were established and
distributed for the purpose of spread
ing among the people the principles of
the gospel and of church government.
Every home in the church should Sc
cure as many of these magazines and
papers as possible, and they should be
freely distributed in the different mis-
sions as efficient aids to the elders.
Their value in this connection has been
proved. The spirit of loyalty to these
publications should be developed to
equal the increasing zeal for, mis-
sionary work. The zeal in the latter
direction was spoken of as developing
to a remarkable and gratifying extent,
and it was thought that this, coupled
with the needed improvements in the
matter of supporting home periodicals,
pei principles in the world more eff
cient and easy. He closed by testi-
flying to the faithfulness of the author
tiles of the church.
ELDER JOHN NICHOLSON.
Elder John Nicholson next ad-
dressed the conference. He expressed
his satisfaction at the spirit that had
characterized the congregations, and
30 all the
sity of unity in carrying out the work
in progress. The authorities should be
Loyalty supported. They held the keys
to the kingdom and would be able to
oper the doors of salvation and devel-
opment to the people. There was no
doubt as to where those keys were to
be found today. Regarding the pc
culiar position of the Saints in the
past, and their firmness in holding it,
he said that it was at first difficult for
him to understand the correctness of
the new position taken when the old
was abandoned; but the key before re-
ferrei to was manifested to him and
he was convinced of the correctness
of the new stand. With that key in
their possession the Saints would have
no fear for decisions, which would thus
be stripped of their power to deceive.
on every great occasion the pre-emi-
nence OIL llS plcoliShSy nos oSSA ViS
played. and this conference was a
notable example. Such triumphs, pro-
erosion, intelligence and freedom
would continue, until Zion would take
its legitimate place at the head. The
speaker closed with the prayer that
the day of this contamination might
be FASTENED.
PRESIDENT WOODRUFF.
President Woodruff made brief ad-
dress in which he referred to the man
ifesto, saying the Lord was RESPONSE
BILE for it. He then related some of
his personal experiences, showing how
he had been led by the spirit of revela-
ton since his boyhood. 1t had been
shown to him long before the event oc-
Cured that he should dedicate the
temple in Salt Lake. He predicted a
glorious future for Zion.
ELDER B. H. ROBERTS.
Elder B. H. Roberts said in substance
that he had experienced great joy in
the work of the conference, and es-
pecially that nothing had been done
which might cause regret. He had
possessed from boyhood a testimony
of the work, and had often been led by
the promptings and whisperings of the
spirit. He had, perhaps, not always
been thus guided and controlled, and
every such case had occasioned him
much sorrow. He had been reminded
church at the time of it's organization,
when it was distinctly shown that the
Prophet Joseph, having been accepted
as first elder in the church by the
members of it, should be sustained as
a seer. translator and prophet of Jesus