Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-12-30

And borne along the hopes and fears.
The smiles and tears of multtudes un-
/ known 10 song.
--E. n. Snow
The closing year OF 1905 which Is the
hundredth birthday OF the Prophet,
strs my mind with multitude Of
thoughts.
+ In fancy | go back TO my childhood
and youth In Virglna--Elders come
crying, Repent and be baptized for the
Kingdom of heaven il at hand" and,
as OF yore, am stirred with the glad
tldings Of the restoration OF the Gospel
OF Christ; once again gather with the
/ Saints In Missouri, and hear the horrid
yells of the mobbers as Joseph and
Hyrum are captured by them. see
the wounded and dying; ] am driven
from Missouri, but meet with JOY az
Quincy, In a conference OF the Cnufcn,
4 Joseph and Hyrum and the Apostles,
who are there called to labor In Europe
| The Prophet ! recall, and his won
drous spiritual power intelligence, iov.
ing kindness, and great goodness OF
/ heart His sermons, sayings the or
ganIzation OF our own Relief society in
/ Isi2. His revelations, Jersecutions'
martyrdom and the grief OF the saints
/ thereat. There Is little left save our
| homes and families In this world, put
| the Gospel becomes even more 10 me-
now follows the burning OF our homes
and the forced exodus from NauNoo III
| the dead of winter. The elements rage
upon and about US, but we are apie 10
endure TO rest at last, though IN the
shadow OF death, as II were, for mere
we part with multitude or our ioVeo
ones. But rising from our weakhess,
In obedience TO the servants vi 'ne
Most High, We proceed. crossing track
less plains, fording swollen streams,
scaling rugged mountain helgh.s az a,,
descending into THE Valley 10 ma
rost from persecution and comfort In
the desert, .,
All the events OF those trying years
unite today. revealing to me, In tie eve
ming of life the overshadowing impor-
lance of the plan Of salvation. com.
! fortinu message from the Giver OF al
good seems to give me TINS sweet az,
surance that nought that was suHereu
and noueht that was accomplished, no
| matter how dear the price, was without
avail, yea. our wounds were SCARED
| over with wisdom, pain gave nirln 20
| patience, and our martyred SAINTS rose
neradventure, our best petitioners IN
| the courts above.
Ana | am convinced that II we're bet
tor IN he faithful and enduring TO the
| end showing wort Illness In overmaster-
| ins self and upholdlng the standard
| OF truth. than TO rest in apathy ana
ease forgetful OF God and unmindful OF
| the weak the weary and desolute.
II is good 10 reflect on the past, put
| hevond and above It's shades OF sorrow,
| and errors, our duty ever rides before
| us.
| "soothe the sad succor the oppressed,
| Visit the widow and the fatherless.'
| To 20 from house 10 house, seeking
| out the poor, the cast down, minister
TO the sick, lay out the dead, gather-
| ing and distributing, as you have done
| my sisters, for 80 many years, gifts
| and donations for relief.
/ And yet we have a larger mission
! 10 teach the mother to rear her young
| in simplicity and in truth and virtue,
| that happy home circles may abound
| in our midst.
| And vet we have still a greater mis-
sion. We faint not In our efforts to
| teach others perfection but display n
great lack OF true religion, when our
| own faults remain unmended. When
| will we learn that the beam Is IN our
| own eye and the mote only disturbs the
| vision OF our neighbor.
| We are called upon by the still small
| voice. q whispering from our Father,
| to work out our own salvation.
Briefly the constructive parts or the
| Plan OF salvation are these: What man
| Is. God once was, what God Ia now
| man may be; the glory Of God Is intel
| llgence. Nothing can be annihllated
| and no act lost II ~ impossible TO be
| saved in ignorance The Spirit of God
| which IL the Holy Ghost and the Com
forter surrounds us and pervades the
| universe. and is the medium by which
| we may receive the inspiration OF God
! toward intelligence and through which
! Il is our right TO receive comfort; and
| finally, that Faith, Hope and Charity
| are necessary for Divine Grace but that
| the greatest OF these Is charity.
Therefore Il Is plainly necessary, that
| women as well az men, cease not while
life lasts to study diligently for the
| knowledge which Is of greatest worth.
| To me the best step toward this Is for
us to throw off the curse OF drudgery
| BY learning TO do our work so we'll that
We will love 10 do Il and have cause for
| rejoicing over the achievements of our
! hands.
Let us learn OF tho handiwork OF God
by the study Of nature search out her
| flowers, her moods. her laws. Let us
study 10 improve our thoughts reach
ing up toward our Heavenly Father,
praying for the inspiration OF the Holy
| Ghost.
Let us improve our language In our
homes and among our children that our
words be not idle omplaining nor vain.
but as nothing can he lost, cheerful,
hopeful, intelligent, rejecting a char
itahle spirit.
Let us open the books OF life and SAL
| walton, and study also the great au-
thors, poets and painters that our
| minds may be clothed with intelligence
ana our hearts abound IN human feel
ing.
And here I am inclined 10 offer A
| thought for the years work before US.
With our multfarious duties we may
not be able to call upon some aged or
invalid sister, to cheer her, but we may
lend her a book. to be read at pleasure,
and peradventure 10 the strengthening
Of her purpose, the cheering of her life
| and the edlfcaton OF her mind. Like
wise after reading good book, pass
IL 10 n sister saying I commend this
book to YOU. II has instructed me and
may edfy you, and when you have
read, return that NAV lend again.
Another thought: Having done your
part well be satisfied TO relnquish the
load 10 some stronger woman when
you become weary.
And now my sisters. Gods choicest
blessings be upon YOU and peace be
with you.
BATHsHEBA W. SMITH.
President ~ Church Relief Society in
all the World.