Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-12-12

continue with us during the sessions
OF this conference. / bear testimony
that ! know the work Of the Lord is
mere testify to you. my brethren and
sisters, that in fulhlment of the Saw
lor words. II we will draw near unto
him lie VIII draw near unto us. | have
proved this In my own experience; the
freedom and Joy which has been spoken
OF during the conference has come to
every Latter-day Saint. The better we
serve the Lord. and the more diligent
we are In His service, the greater
amount OF the Spirit OF the Lord we
ENJOY, ana the easier It is for us to
make necessary sacrifices. / pray that
the spirit Of the Lord may be with us
continually, and that we may take
the spirit OF this conference to our
homes so that the people in general
may be benefited thereby. | ask these
blessings In the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
ELDER JAMES Il. STEELE.
president Of Bingham Stake.)
This seems to me an awkward posi-
tlon to occupy, but although | feel
somewhat out OF place, | am very
Pleased to have the privilege of making
report of the Bingham stake OF Zion.
The Bingham Stake Is located In the
southeastern part OF Idaho, In what is
known ak the Snake river valley. Ii Ia
a part OF the old Bannock Stake, or as
II Is known now, the Fremont Stake.
we number about ten thousand souls.
we nave seven or eight hundred fam
Ines, scattered over large area Of
country we have twenty-four wards
ana seven branches All of the wards
fllllV pf1aI q
Know, all the ward organiza tons are
complete. All the Stake Offices are full.
with the exception of one. and that Is
the President OF the High Priests quor-
UNI the President moved from our
stake, and. the vacancy has not yet
been hlled. Our High Council Is com
plete, and It's members are do
ings good work. The PresI-
dency Of the Stake have been
united on every question that has come
up for our dellberation since the Stake
was organized, in 1895. We are united
with the High Council, and with all our
Bishops. We are also united with the
| presidencies OF the Stake auxiliary or
CARNATIONS. AS far as know, there
| Is no contention but that can be read
| lily settled between the members them
selves, We have had but one or two
High Council trials since the Stake
| was organized, The Stake Presidency
meet every Thursday, at o'clock. and
| deliberate upon the things pertaining TO
| the welfare of the Stake. The High
Council and the Stake Presidency
meet once month and counsel togeth-
er for the good Of the people.
We hevc a very prosperous commun-
| itv and the people are doing exception
| ally well. We were largely In debt few
| years ago. Many people who moved
| into the stake from Utah had formerly
| lived on a city lot or on II small tract OF
land, possibly not to exceed 1--WE acres
| and when they got into the Snake Piv-
or valley and procured from 100 TO 64f
| acres. thy thought thew could buy all
things they wanted. and more too. be-
| cause thAy had so much land nj their
command. But they soon found out
| their mistake not however. before
| many Of them had 10 MORTGAGE their
homes to secure their indebtedness.
| am very pleased to report today that
these mortgages have largely been HIT
| ed. Our counsel to the r,-onle has al
| waya bsen 70 keep out OF debt. They
| ore now irving to comply with II. md
are relieving themselves Of that bond.
nge. Our crons this year have beer
verv good, We have the Snake river
10 draw from for our water supply
Our land IL very productive. and con.
seouentlv we are prosperous. as rule
feel that the Lord has blessed the
country. The blessings that were nett.
toned for upon the land Nv President
John Tevor In 1894 have been realized
bv .he Saints ~ the Snake River val.
10y; end feel that the Lord will con.
tlnue IT, hless us II we VIII onlv keer
His commandments. That He has done
90 Is my testimony to you this after
noon,
I have a testimony Of this great lat
ter-dav work, ] know II Is true
know that joseph Smith was Pronhe'
Of the living God. and those who have
succeeded him In the Presidency have
been men whom God mas recognized
They have heen blessed and clothed
with authority to lead and direct thu
affalrs NJ HE work from the he0innlnf
nm TO the present 7 feel with all m'
heart to sustain them, to hold un thell
hands and do nv mart en- far as 7 have
power. ask God In bless us. ~ bes'
our President, to bless HIS associates