The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-04-07

Morning Sessiou.-Thc morning ses-
sion was called to- order by President
Joseph r Smith At 10 o'clock. 1t was
the largest aSsemblage at a first Ses-
sion of a conference of the church in
the history of the church. The taber-
naClc was well filled and a COodly pOr-
ton of the choir was present. Another
feature of the meeting that impressed
all present was the unusually large
percentage of men in the congregation
They predOminated over the women.
and this it was said. by older members
Of the church. was unusual. There
was an caTneStneSs in the bearing OF
these men. too, that made il clear that
i'm their minds the church was passing
through crisis. This spirit was i'm the
air The words Of President Smith
We're followed with breathless interest.
and as the head Of the church hurled
his defiance at the enemies of his
organization IL seemed difficult to sup
press an outbreak of applause and
CommeUdatiOn.
President Smith was belligerent i'm
what he said and his manner of speak
ing He made no apology for anything
he and his associates had done or left
undone although he did feel under
obligation to explain the financial
operations of the church and tell what
had been done with the tithing paid in
by the people He spoke of some menu
bcrs of tho church as. "boils, pjmples
the church that had To be removed with
the knife for the general welfare of the
organization
Others Take Similar Strain.
The speak who followed the preSi-
dent seemed to take their cue from
him. All the addresses were cast in the
same mould President John r WindcU
told of the prosecutions and trials IF
tho Lattcr-day Saints in the oldeu days.
He laid stress on the circumstance OF
the United States army coming to
Utah TO drive the NOrmonS from salt
Lake after they had conquered the
desert President WiudeU spoke from
personal experience. He recalled the
fact that just eighteen years before it
was deemed unsafe 10 hold the annual
conference i'm Salt Lake and that for
that reason IL was held in Provo He
felt confident that If ne called upon
the conference to sustain President
Joseph T. Smith there would not be a
dissenting voice i'm the aSsemblaEe-
President Hugh !. cannon Of the
Liberty stake, just home from three
year mission i'm Europe. told of condi-
lions i'm switzerland and Germany. He
submitted a good report ON the coudj-
lions of the church work in that part
Of the world. told of the plan to cross
the Alps and invade Italy. and closed
by saying that nc knew that Joseph T.
Smith was A prophet of the Lord,
called by God To- his present position.
Wells Defends the Saints.
Ruion y Wells told how prejudice
and hatred were eUEcudored against tho
I.atter-dsy Saints I'm tho minds of the
world. how they vcrC rated as = band
OF cut-throatS and UObborS-cNiI and
liCentiuuS people. He claimed that
they compared favorably with any poo
pie on earth. aud I'm view OF the pre-
iudice and misrepresentation he felt
sorry for the world and not for the
saints. The leaders. ne asserted were
men OF God with nothing i'm their lives
10 warrant the assertions made against
them I'm the world.
The opening prayer AT this session
was ny Henry w NaiSbitt. the blind
poet Of the church. IN addition TO
hymns and anthems by the choir tho
Utah Ladies' quartette composed of
Misses Jones. Sanders, Hadlcy and
owen. rendered When the Swallows
Homeward Fly effectively.
Address by President Smith.
President smiths address i'm full was
s~ follows:
NY Brethren and Sisters 1T is cor
tainIy q great satisfaction and pleasure
to me to sec this large assembly Of Lat