Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-05-20
DISCOURSE
Delivered q, tho psv. o,oke
goth 1899 by
PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH.

We have all enjoyed n goodiy measure
OF the Spirit Of the Lord during tho re-
marks which we have heard from Hr1-
Their Andrew Jensen and nruthcr
George Tcasdaie. and desire TO bear
my testimony to the remarks made BY
both Of them.
Brother Jensen IL iaboring IN the In
tercst OF the Church, ~ understand D..
lie has contributed Tor the bsnofi and
use Of the Church. a work that he pub
llshcd some Year, aEo. called Church
Chronology" and has obtained rcrnia-
sion to have Il re-pubiished. as II was
cut OF print. II Is a valuable book of
reference for those who desire to keep
posted In relation 10 the history Of the
Church, and / think that every family
ought 10 be- possessed Of one or more
copier of a.. n they can afford H. "
would BE- a great help 10 our children
IN their enoftH TO become acquainted
with the history ~ the Church. I THERE
fore recommend that the i.ttteT-duy
Saints become Interested In this work,
and avail Themselves ~ the opportunity
that viii soon BE- AFFORDED them Of OBJ
tanning n copy " u W their own Use
and the use ~ their ildrcn. The pro-
cccds derived from t..a sale u the book.
over and above the cost Of Publishing
Il. are TO be- used IN assisting 10 build
a liiatorian's onico-that IT, ~ place
where the records of tho church can be-
preserved ana protected from destfuc-
tive elements. We do not now possess
such . place. and have not since the
church was organized. II II indeed
time that We had place which viii
niford ample protection for the valun-
BILE and choice records which We have.
Some OF those records arc exceedingly
sacred. having been Kept by the strict
commandments Of the Lord. The rec
ordu ~ our haptlnmA for the dead. VI
the cndowmentH and HeallnEH FOR the
dead. OF the HcalinEa OF children TO
parents. living NJ well a. dead. and the
records Of bapiiums In the Church and
ordinations 10 the holy Priesthood ~
well NJ the records ~ tho drlving1. per-
recutions and JourncyinEn OF the people.
and Of the preaching Of the Gospel a.
the nation. OF tho cnrth-ail these
things are very valuable records. and
should not b. left exposed OF uncafcd
for. ! presume that a place would have
been provided for the protection Of
these records many years ago. had "
not been for the troubles We have had
10 encounter ana the connacation %
our property. Prior 10 that We were.
u might h. said. laying foundations
We were not bcautlfyinE. nor going into
elaborate adornmenta In our consifuc-
tlon Of buildings. but We were rtruR.
cling against poverty. and against the
rierillty Of the soil. We had. 20 10
speak. been quarrying the rock from
the mountains TO lay tho foundations Of
the Church. by aud by We viii begin
10 smooth them up and polish them.
Then We viii bcnutlfy the earth. and
make II a place worthy Of tho habita-
tion OF the Saints of the Most High.
who are destined some day TO possess
hut In doing this. let me say 10 those
who trembe lest the Saints should take
possession 81 the earth right now, and
deprive every other poor creature ~
the privilege OF dwelling upon n. they
need not be- alarmed about that. We
do not expect 10 take possession ~ this
earth Just now. I tell you. however.
that II Il going to be- given to the Raints
OF the Most High God, and they are 10
possess u forever. II II a ncrlptural
saying. II n the promise ~ the Lord
through his prophets. II N not some
thing We have determined In our own
minds 90 carry out. independent % the
Lord and OF every body else Il II a pro-
phccy Of that which the Lord has said
shall come 10 pass. AZ present ! am
perfectly satisfied N the enemies of the
Church Of God win permit me Just 10
possess that which I have bought ana
paid for and which pay taxes on every
posneslons. nor with their rights. They
shan have the privilege Of dwelling side
by side with me. 10 far o. I am cnn-
cerned. nut do not want them a. In
tcffcrc with my rights. | want them
10 let me alone. m I am disposed 10 let
them alone. feel In my heart-na do
all the Nainis-dirnoaed TO do good 10
the people. We arr not disposed 10 hate
our enemies. to prosecute them, or To
fcVile them. but We are Inclined 60 do
rood To them, 60 treat them kindly and
Justly. and with all the fnrhearance and
patience, love ana charity that u II
possible for ~ In our finite condition
10 exercise towards them. 20 that n
the Naintr do possess a small portion
" the earth today. u need not trouble
the npnstate Mormon" nor tho Cen
tile. nor the jew. nor anybody else on
Earth, because We only possess that
which rightfully belongs 10 a. through
The day VIII come thouKh-thla l say
for the warning of those who ate
Rfraid-that the day will come Whom
this earth viii be purified and cleanaed
from all It's unrlonnllncna. when II
viii b. baptized with IRE. and made NJ
a sen " glass. ~ u Trim ana Thummin.
n viii become glorious body; and
u viii not need the liEht ~ the sun by
day. nor 81 the moon by night, for the
presence aud glory Of uod VIII be lts
Nnhfi Ana then<fhen=thiH earth and
the fullne.s OF n viii h. given 20 the
Saints ~ the Most IliFh God. and they
viii possess II forever Tho wicked viii
not need 10 trouble about II then. be-
cause they viii have no Inheritance
upon a. N VIII not be- given % the
cnemies NJ the Most High. not 90 the
unbelievefH, not 10 those who have
nonrhi 10 ridicule the purposes ~ the
AlmiFhly In restoring the everlasting
Gospel o. tho children NJ men IN the
latter days. hut II win be given 10 those
who have faith In God and In Ills
promises.
We have heard this morning IN roia-
ilon TO the authority necessary Tor mon
10 have 20 act In the name NJ tho Lord
nccrpinhly. The Savior. when Iie was
upon the earth, chose twelve apostles.
with Peter. James and John AZ their
head that they might BE- special witt
neHses ~ Him IN an the world md prn-
claim It's name among tho people. -
that an who would believe on HIN.
repent NJ their sins. aud obey ifiA law.
might have everlasting life. The same
authority that was conferred unon tho
ancient disciples NJ christ by tho iny-
ing on ~ Its own hands has haen
restored 10 tho earth In these latter
days, christ Inherited that authority
from the Father md n WAS recon.
nrmed upon Him by Moses and Elias
ON the Mount and also nv John the
Baptist. For even Christ could not
have fulhllei Ills mission here N M
had not heen set apart and ordained
har. A. ss4.m a. "a 81. H........ go