Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-07-02


great privilege to have the opportunity
~ living In mortality. The Lord has
sent us here for a wise and glorious
and II should be our busl-
ness 10 find out what that purpose is
and then To order our lives accordingly.
believe that you who are before me
have done this. and that you have dis
covered where you came from why you
are here. and what Is expected Of you
by Him who permitted you TO come
here. The Lord has made this plain TO
us in these last days. He has shown us
the path Of exaltation and glory mas
pointed out the way by which we can
regain His presence, and has invited US
to walk steadily and steadtastly theIe-
in We who are here today nave Sladly
accepted the invitation, and now we
have advanced considerably along thls
path of exaltation, and have been Wlll~
ING TO sacrifice anything and every
thing rather than turn aside thereirom;
Many Of you. no doubt, have endured
great hardships and privations WINE
along this path OF advance
ment and progress; you may nave
passed through very trying experiences,
and had your faith severely tested put
you have not waveredl The prospects
before you have been so gran0 ana
glorious that YOU have not counted any
sacrifice, however great too much 20
make in order TO achieve the OBJECT IN
view; and | congratulate you To-Day
that YOU have progressed so far mat
there il now very little danger OF your
stepping aside and losing the fun irui-
tlon of reward promised TO the faithtul'
The glory that awaits you Is more than
YOU can conceive of,-and II IS
not far distant, either. You
have pressed onward and onward
until now the goal toward which YOU
have been journeying for these many
years is in sight; and when YOU shall IL
nally reach II, you will glorify God with
all your souls The sacrifices YOU nave
made. the hardships you have endured
and the priyations You have SUFFERED
will then sink into nslgnitcance. and
YOU will rejoice that you have obtained
the experience which they have fur
nished. II is profitable TO live long up
on the earth and TO gain the experience
and knowledge incident thereto' Tor
the Lord has told us That whatever In
telligence we attain TO In this life VIII
rise with us in the resurrection, ana
the more knowledge and intelligence
n person gains in this life the greater
advantage he will have in the world
10 come. Some things We have TO learn
by that which we suffer, and knoWl-
edge secured In that way, though the
process may be painful. Will be OF great
value TO us In the other life. am
thinkfu TO see so many here who nave
lived 10 ripe old age. and who have
gained such a vast amount OF eNDerl-
ence and information In this probation.
During the many years We have So
iourned upon the earth we have passed
through many different scenes. Some OF
them have been pleasant and agreeable.
while others have been dis
agreeable and perhaps very trying.
Through today prosperity abounds
we have seen the time when poV-
erty prevailed and when the panes OF
hunger were by no means unknown IN
our midst. We have passed through
periods Of sorrow and persecution, and
we have enjoyed seasons OF peace and
contentment. But amid Il all We have
experienced happiness In serving the
Lord, and we have acquired knowledge
Of a varied character that Will mater
tally aid us In the next life. So that
these long lives OF ours. with all their
viclssitudes, win be fruitful OF eternal
good unto MS.
A few days ago was at large gath
ering, in this magnificent pavilion, Of
Primary children, and had a very hap
by time with them. They were children
who are on the threshold Of life, and
the question whether or no they Will
faithfully carry out the object OF their
existence and be true 10 God cannot
yet be answered; but here is a body Of
men and women who are so far adj
yanced in life as to be nearing the end,
and who have lived such lives of faith
fulness and devotion that II may truly
be said OF them that they have carried
out the purpose OF their existence here,
and their ultimate success is assured.
rejoice with you In the fact that after
all these years you are still iourneying
on the road TO eXaltation and eternal
life. | know that your lives have not
been all sunshine; you have doubtless
passed through many a trial. and per-
haps have come up through much
tribulation but by continued integrity
you will soon emerge from the shad-
nNMN lhAV lilt hA'A AVhG oeAAHhAfAN 70 NiAA
celestial world.
| feel that this would not be an in
appropriate time to say word or two
10 the young men and women Of Is
rael--the children Of these veterans In
the cause Of truth. | would plead with
you, my young brethren and sisters,
10 honor your fathers and your mothers,
that your days may be long in the land
which the Lord hath given to them
and TO you. BE obedlent and loving TO
them; and after they have climbed ia
the summit Of the hill OF life. perhaps
through many a hard-fought struggle,
and begin 10 descend try to DO all I'm
your power to make the road smooth
and pleasant for them. BY their de-
votion 90 you and 20 your welfare they
have proved themselves worthy of
your affection, and God expects you to
be loyal 20 them. He has honored them
IN the past and VIII yet honor them
more abundantly. but their Joy will not
be fully complete II their children dis
regard their wishes and are untrue TO
them and TO God. ! therefore say to
You, observe this commandment which
God has given. TO honor your fathers
and your mothers II Is command
ment which carries with II the promise
Of longevity, and II you obey il there
Is every prospect for you 10 1--we
10 be as old as your narenis, and
even older Your fathers and
mothers, by their faithful labors
and answering integrity. have blessed
the land upon which they dwelt. and
the Lord has been with them and will
reward them glorlously II viii make
their hearts glad TO see you also sane
tify the land by Keeping the statutes
OF the Lord thereon. and He win add
His blessings upon YOU in abundance
Let your feet tread In the same path
81 advancement and progress as your
parents: let your hearts beat In uni
son with theirs for the welfare OF
ruth and righteousness. and by and
BY YOU viii rejoice With them worlds
without end.
Now. thank the committee for In