The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-04-04
GREAT AUDIENCE
AT CONFERENCE
Fourteen Thousand Persons
Attend Opening Sessions.
REFERENCES TO sMOOT
PRESIDENT SMITHS COURSE
COMMENDED IN ADDRESS.
: oURTEEN thousand persons passed

r OURTEEN LlOuSdIlQ petbpAS Po119N
through the gates leading into the
tabernacle grounds yesterday
afternoon. The occasion " was the
seventy-fourth annual conference OF
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
day Saints. The sessions began in the
forenoon, but the biggest crowd was in
the afternoon. Then the throngs filled
every inch of available space in the
tabernacle, packed the Assembly hall,
where an overflow meeting was held,
and occupied a large space on the
grounds
Several statements were made which
were generally taken as references TO
the SmoOt case and the testimony
given there by President Joseph II.
Smith TO the effect that he intended 10
continue marriage relations with his
plural wives. In the opening prayer
Elder Joseph +. Taylor gave thanks
for the way in which the president of
the church had defended the principles
of the faith both at home and abroad
Tenor Of Addresses.
President Smith, who presided, made
an address in which he urged the
Latterday Saints TO be firm in the
faith, declaring the Lord would re-
ward his people for following the laws
of righteousness and truth. Apostle
i Francis NJ. Lyman spoke in favor OF
multiplying and replenishing the
earth" He declared that all saints
/ know when President Joseph F.
| Smith speaks, God is speaking through
/ him, and the Lord makes no mistakes.
! Elder Brigham H. Roberts warned the
! GentiIes not TO reject the word
During the forenoon President John
/ r. Winder made a reminiscent address
/ and President Anthem II. Lund spoke
! on Easter and the resurrection \
/ large part of the address Of Elder Rob
/ erts in the afternoon was devoted 10
the subject of Easter and the immOr-
tally of the soul. He made an Incl
/ dental reference to Dr. W. NJ. Paden 5
/ recent sermons attacking part Of the
| Book of Mormon.
The conference will continue at 10 A.
| m. today.
Commends Valor and Wisdom
The full capacity Of the tabernacle
! was required TO accommodate the large
congregation that assembled for the
| first session of the conference Presi-
dent Joseph T. Smith was the presid-
ing officer and ne also delivered the
principal address, speaking at length
| with his accustomed earnestness-
In the opening prayer Joseph E.
Taylor thanked the Lord for the Wis
| dom of President Smith and for his
/ vaIor in maintaining the principles OF
| the church both at home and abroad
Z President Smith dWelt upon the
growth of the church and the divine
protection that had been given il. He
claimed that he could see the hand OF
! God in the growth OF the churcn- anc
/ in the affairs of the nation and tbs
world and that all things were work
ing to accomplish his purpose. IL
stated that he was firm and fixed II
the conviction that the Lord is mind
, full of his people and that he VIII re
ward them in protecting the law q
righteousness and of truth, and tina
I | no one need fear following truth anC
/ righteousness to the best or thel
knowledge. He stated that the saint
are too much like the rest of the worl'
= in many respects but that they posses
l the same passions and weakness tina
2 are possessed by the rest Of mankind
: Saints Must Keep Covenants
I'll The saints he said, have made
e / covenant to fOrsake sin and that Co
. expected them to keep that covenan
I bv living consistent lives and observ
s ing his laws He urged a continuation
&C of the work of the church, honor 10
the memory of the Prophet Josep
o. smith and the priesthood which he san
: was nothing more or less than dlVln
y authority committed unto man by Go
. himself. Some people, he said, thin
= il a sin for the saints to claim that IN
. world would be better if the laws o
cod were enforced. Untruth, he SAID
/ degradeS and error and lack OF knoWi
p edge lead men to the level Of Drute'
TDspiration must come, he cOntendeC
from a higher source than from man
If Christ were to come to rule o
earth in person, he said, he would I
upheId by the righteous, the virtuou
4 and the pure, and that the recresI
would be the impure. the liars, IN
murderers. those who bear false WI
IS ness. and the atheists. and sometime
&c he thought that the atheist was not S
N far from Christ as some who preten
J. to each his gospel. He urged his heal
1t ers to keep the laws of God and to kee
lie and honor the laws OF men. He cour
e seIed them to pay their debts and
N keep out of debt, and 70 protect the
y own righteousness by living God
AZ lives, and to keep the faith deiiVere
III 10 them in these latter days.
Story of Easter.
to Apostle A II. Lund was the ne
ne speaker and he gave an interesting hi
tory Of Easter and the resurrecno
He believed, he said, III an actual az
not a spiritual resurrection, and TIL
We death was but a temporary separate
ut | of the spirit and the body.
We John r. Winder made the closing T
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