Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-04-05

| psrlment OF The work OF God special
attention. There wa4 nothing We
could do that afforded more happiness
and satisfaction.
ELDER FRANKLIN d. RICHARDS
Of the quorum OF Apostles, followed.
| He eaid III substance: Much gfatifl-
cation could be felt at the progress OF
the work Of God In the world, which
was continuation of tho work done
by the ancient Apostles. Men holdiug
tho Priesthood should bear in mind
that they were fulfilling tho prophetic
ASSURANCES OF tho prophets OF old. 1t
was wonderful thing that OF the
reiormers, who had succeeded go well
In introducing true principles Into The
world, IL should remain for the Prophet
Joseph Smith to receive the authority
Of the Priesthood by which the ordln.
ances Of the Gospel could DO per-
formed and Its promIsee fulfilled. John
tue Baptist Introduced tao authority
the method, ami the law pertaining TO
baptism, which. according to the law
announced TO Nlcotemus by Jesus,
must bs Administered u or for ail,
| living and dead, before they could be
received into the Kingdom OF heaven.
| The Melcbizsdek Priesthood, with Its
| power OF preaching tho q spBi 10 tho
living ald the dead, aud the ministra-
ton of the Holy Ghost, was given by
Peter, James and john, by which all
tAings could he gathered into one,
whether in heaven or on earth. All
| these gifts and blessings were intro
duned through the Prophet Joseph
Smith and bis associates, who were
now engaged In the al al nistration Of
those blessings to the epirlts OF the
dead. In the temples OF the Saints
| work was being done, under the up.
prevail OF Christ, to bring into proper
effect the preaching to the spirits In
prison. Thus was bslng fulilled the
prophecy OF Moses In Deuteronomy
rs, regarding the gathering Ut scat
tered Israel under the law OF God,
looking forward to tho personal reign
OF Christ upon the Garth.
| The Saints should keep these great
| principles in mind, and leave petty
contentious and otrlfe, turning their
attention to the confirmation Of the
blessings promised to tue seed OF A bra.
ham. Excessive worldly-mindednes ness
| was deplored, especially In the direG.
ton Of speculation; but good advice
was given with refereuce to extracting
bkAtuEhh rum kbt sui lDE tue BUS
| tenance OF mlu. Elder Richards re.
| Ioioed In tue work 0i Cad, 30 promis-
lngly instituted, and bore his tesli-
| many TO It's truth, declaring that In
the mouths Of two or three Witnesses
these words OF testimony were estsb.
llshe1. Strangers and Saints were ad.
vlEed to investigate In foil the pEin-
ciples OF tie GRpsl, i'll order to find
justification for thvm. Unity aud fel.
| lowship were commenced for the
enlargement of the understani-
Ing anu OF iaithtuiuess In the
| performances of the work Of God. 1t
should progress In the word, the
banda and Prohibitions now checking
liza spread, being removed to admit OF
| IFS apraau. AppareAt secriicse wouId
| be found like the sowing OF the seed,
| producing a hundred ioli to tho glory
| Vi God and tho salvation OF man.
Prayer, diligence ana increased faith
lulness were strongly urged, for the
| bringing about OF Immortality aad
| eternal life.
Brother Richards stated that the
call for missionaries was increasing,
| and great faithiulness was being man
| Tested in the performance OF the Lahore
Of the ministry, TO the development OF
strength in the ministers anu OF 10y in
the hearts Of those TO whom the mes.
cage OF salvation was being carried.
ELDER FRANCIS NJ. LYMAN,
OF the quorum OF the A postles, said In
substance: He desired the spirit of
the Lord to assist HIM, as had been the
case with tbs previous speakers. When
lbs listened to the report mAda by
President Cannon Ia relation to the
| missionary work abroad, the field
seemed greater to HIM than 1t had
heretofore. Every man who had q
desire to labor In the vineyard was
called Of God. Those WHO went to the
nations in that spirit were blessed.
| We should be CRATE III that we were
| associated with the work OF God, which
had been revealed to US through the
| Prophet Joseph. 1t was, as shown by
| President Smith this morning, inue.
| structibie. lte organization was beau.
tiiul, anu no power srraysd against II,
whether the attack came from without
| or within, could hinder its growth.
The Eternal Father maintained the
CHURCH In Completeness. Vacancies
were not filed by the viii OF man, but
OF God. In the selection OF Elders u
go abroad TO preson The Gospel, the
will OF the spirit Of the Lord was
| sought alter. 30 with the filling OF
positions In any OF the quofums.
Whenever II was requisite for any
man to be- the mouthpiece OF God, II
| was not brought about by the sohem.
Ing OF mon, but by the direction OF
the Almighty. During the three
years Immediately succeeding the
death OF the Prophet Joseph, the
Twelve presided over the Church,
and when the First Presidency was
organized 1t was done because
God directed that 1t be done. 80 was
Is when there was n vacancy in the
quorum OF tue Twelve or OF the Seven
Presidents OF Seventies. God Rn.
nounced 1t. There was always q ella 81
who reJolced when Iney saw a prospect
OF a disruption OF the Church, but they
were invariably disappointed anu
always would be, ana the WORK would
20 forward. Where there were 300
Elders in the missionary FIELD now
there would come time when there
would be 49, 900. InOss WIN created
and rejOiGed tO SEQ dlsu MON among the
people were built on the sand
nnd not on the rock OF truth.
When anything wRs announced t.
the people to guide them, 1t came at
the right time, because 1t emnnated
from the Lord. 1! there were any
who had failed TO reoogni5s the voice
OF the truo shepherd they had need t0
repent. There was reaction UutsiIe
the Churcn us well MS within, and u
new interest In the things OF GUu had