Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-02-13
DISCOURSE
Delivered the Weber Stake
PRESIDENT GEORGE O. CANNON.
[REpoRTED by ARTHUR wINTER,1

parents. 1t is true that Satan is in the
world, and his power is felt by all; and
even with the best OF care we have no
guarantee that all our children will be
faithful TO the ruth and grow up free
from wrongdoing. There is no guaran
tee OF this kind. But we are assured,
from experience and by the word OF the
Lord, that parents who take proper
pains with their children will have their
reward in the improved condition OF the
children and in their preservation from
sin.
feel that this is something that should
address itself to all oil us; 1t should come
nome 10 every parent. There has been
dl position in the Church. have some
times thought SO, at least-to have large
lamily. Men were proud OF the number
Ut children that they had; but some
| seemed 10 be careless as to ihe quality
II their children. They went Ia for
| quantity more than they did Tor quality
| have often remarked that one Isaac
vas better than great crowd OF sons
Who were untrue 10 the Lord and who
did not live so as to receive His bless.
ings. Isaac is the progcnltor OF a won
| detiul race oil people, and through his
| iaithiulness blessings are ielt by us who
are here today. They have come down
to us from him. ana from his father, and
| rom his son Jacob from whom sprang
| the twelve tribes oil Israel 1t Is better
, 20 have worthy faithful son, well cared
Tor, well brought up, well trained, than
| 10 have any number that grow up with
out proper knowledge aud without pro
| per care. feel that this is Important
| ior the women of this Church. 1t is
title saying, and it is proved by all his
tory, that the women have the forming
| OF the characters OF the children to
I very great extent 1t is often said that
there Is scarcely great man to be found
who did not have great mother-that
| is. mother OF good qualities and who
| took care IN rearing her children.
| have noticed i'll my experience that
| where girls are indifferent about whom
they marry. and with whom they associ-
ate, it is very frequently traceable to the
influence OF the mother A mother may
have careless husband; she may have
| a man that is Indifferent 10 the duties OF
lis religion; but If she be faithful wo-
man herself and exercise proper control,
and does have control over her children,
she eau bring UP her children to be faith.
iul men and women in the Church. Go
where you will and examine the house,
holds OF the people, and YOU will find
that the mothers influence is very
| wonderful influence, not only upon the
| children, but upon her husband; but
| particularly so with her children. She
can teach her children to pray in early
lille, and she can inslil INTO them feelings
and desires that remain with them
throughout their life. AT least, / myself
can testify to this. Can see features in
my character that are the result OF my
mo oil cI cd
when | was quite young Myself and
brothers and sisters were left orphans at
an early age; but the effect OF mothers
teaching is visible in all OF us, although
the younger ones do not remember her
| scarcely. | want 10 speak little OF my
own experience, because II will illustrate
the principle upon which am speaking.
| NV mother had great adherence OF
anything that would lead to intoxication
| or drunkenness, and she impressed up.
on me this feeling. When | was child
| she said she hoped would never touch
anything OF an Intoxicating nature, and
| remember that when | was about
twelve or thirteen years OF age she said
to me, sit you will not take anything to
drink OF an Intoxicating nature till you
are fifteen, | vii! give you silver
watch" Patent levers were then just
coming out, and she bought one and
put it aside Tor me TO have when was
| fifteen years OF age. She died, how
ever, before received the watch; but
got it after her death. Now, the i'm
| preston made upon me by her remarks
has been indeliDe. She did notl want
| me 10 drink tea or coffee either, but TO
observe the Word OF Wisdom. | am
today at my present age, and | never
have drunk tea and coffee. l scarcely
know the taste of either tea or coffee,
and have never touched tobacco, nor
| anything intoxicating. This is the re-
suit, al least to very great extent, Of
her teachings, and the impressions she
made on my mind concerning articles
| OF this kind. Now, | notice that where
people have INDUCED in these habits
and then broken OIL they are always
tempted TO resume them under some
circumstances. While the smell OF coffee
| is very fragrant to ME, never had the
least inclination in my life to taste il;
| for the appetite was never awakened.
The same with liquor and with other
| things. | walk along the street on
| frosty morning and If should happen
| to be following man who is smoking a
good cigar, the smell of the cigar is
agreeable to me in the open air; but |
never ndQ tue itdSt lnClinaliOu 10 tOuCH
| it. II had drunk coffee to any extent,
or perhaps smoked, | have no doubt
that when | would smell these things
my mouth would water for them; but
never having had the taste awakened,
of course there is no temptation.
| think it important, brethren and
sisters, that we should teach our child
rem not to touch these things. A story
was told to me by very estinable man
| in this Church. He said he was brought
up not to touch anything OF an intoxi-
eating nature. By mere accident he
one time tasted brandy. He was with
| lot oil young men and they gave hum
brandy, and think they told him it was
cider. Under this impression he drank
some OF it, and be said from that time
up to the time he was talking to me
some seventeen years-he had always
| had that taste to contend with. 1t had
awakened within him a fondness that
had always slumbered until he tasted it,
and would have continued to sumber
probably throughout his entire life. II it
had not been Tor that unfortunate drink
believe there is in many people latent
Loneliness fer liquor, Tor tobacco, for tea
| and coffee, which they have Inherited
and when they taste 1t or drink II, this
| fondness is awakened. 1t is like de.
mon in the blood that is unclaimed by
| al 49,. ar,,ctau | baya laaFH